• About the College
• Membership
• News and Events
• Courses & Events
• GP Training
• Revalidation
• Professional Development
  • Appraisal
  • Continuing Professional Development
    • CPD Background
    • CPD Key Documents
    • CPD Credits Scheme
      • Credit Based System Guide
    • Other CPD Initiatives
  • Essential Knowledge Updates
  • Essential Knowledge Challenge
  • Leadership and the RCGP
  • iMAP
  • Distance Learning
  • First5
  • Substance Misuse
  • Professional Development Board
  • International
  • Team Quality
  • Admitting GPs From Outside the UK to Primary Care Lists - Guidance for PCOs
  • admitting non-uk gps to lists
• Services
• Publications
• Clinical and Research
• Get Involved
• Patient Information
• Contact Us

CPD Credits Scheme

The principle aims of the RCGP CPD Credits Scheme are to ensure that every GP continues to update and apply their clinical knowledge and skills, to promote patient confidence that a GP's knowledge is up to date and ultimately to help improve patient safety.

The College is delighted to announce the release of Version 2 of the Guide to the Credit-Based System for CPD.

RCGP CPD Credits Scheme

The RCGP Credit-Based System for Continuing Professional Development is a simple and easy to use mechanism for GPs to record their CPD based on the time spent on the activity and the impact it has on the doctor, his or her patients and the service. It is applicable to all four countries of the UK and appropriate for all practising GPs - whatever their stage of career, RCGP membership status, work setting, employment status, learning style and special interests.

The scheme works on the basis that:

• A minimum of 50 credits is required per year
• A broad range of general practice should be covered in 250 credits over 5 years
• Credits will be self-assessed and verified at appraisal

The scheme is intended to fulfil the standards and requirements of CPD for all GPs for Revalidation.

A pilot of a system of CPD credit rating based on an impact and challenge model ran between September 2008 and May 2009. The results of the pilot are detailed in the CPD Credit Scheme Pilot Report.

Planning and Recording

Educational activity will often be planned in advance through a Personal Development Plan (PDP) developed at appraisal which is focused on learning outcomes. Personal Development Plan Guidance for Appraisers provides guidance to appraisers on how to advise their appraisees on PDP construction. CPD should be recorded in a portfolio that describes the GP's personal learning plan, the learning undertaken with some reflection on how the GP's practice has changed as a result and evidence of how the GP has kept up to date with new and changing information.

The College is in the process of developing an ePortfolio that will enable GPs to record their CPD in support of Revalidation.

Key Documents

There are a number of key documents that will assist in understanding Continuing Professional Development and its background and these can be found here.