Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

  1. I am holding an educational course aimed at General Practitioners (GPs), can I apply to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to authorise my course and allocate CPD points?
  2. I am planning to present a seminar to GPs and would like this to attract CPD points for revalidation. How can I ensure that GPs will be able to claim CPD points for attending this seminar?
  3. I am running an all day learning event for GPs, how many CPD points will GPs be able to claim for attending this event?
  4. My organisation is running a CPD programme which is already approved and accredited by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) can the College confirm that the programme’s UEMS accreditation is enough to be used for revalidation ‘double-points’ evidence?
  5. I will be holding a CPD event for GPs and those that attend will be provided with an attendance certificate and evaluation and learning documents – would GPs be able to use these documents to demonstrate that their learning has changed practise?
  6. I work for an Institute as part of a General Hospital, would it be possible to apply to get any course we produced as ‘RCGP approved’?
  7. When will an RCGP Accreditation process be available?
  8. Once there is an RCGP Accreditation process in place, will details of accredited courses and events be published on the RCGP website to encourage GPs to attend?
  9. Once Accreditation is granted will this allow me to use the RCGP logo on marketing materials and on learning materials for my course?
  10. I understand that you do not have an Accreditation process in place yet however, can I use the following phrase in publicity materials and marketing for my seminars ‘GPs can claim CPD points for attending this seminar’?
  11. I am looking to develop a short course for GPs, with the aim of attracting CPD points. What advice can you give me?

 

1. I am holding an educational course aimed at General Practitioners (GPs), can I apply to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to authorise my course and allocate CPD points?

The RCGP does not currently accredit educational products but we are in the development stages of an accreditation process which we hope to have in place in the near future. Once it is available the process will be publicised on our website. It is likely that such a process will accredit educational products as being ‘RCGP approved’ rather than allocating educational products as being worth a set number of credits.

 

2. I am planning to present a seminar to GPs and would like this to attract CPD points for revalidation. How can I ensure that GPs will be able to claim CPD points for attending this seminar?

An educational seminar does not currently have to be RCGP approved/accredited in order for an individual GP to claim CPD credits against it for the purposes of appraisal and revalidation. In the RCGP Guide to the Credit Based System for CPD a CPD credit is defined as ‘being based on an hour of learning activity (including planning and reflection)recorded in such a way that it demonstrates the learning achieved relevant to the working situation of the GP’. Therefore, a GP attending a seminar can claim CPD credits if they can show that the learning achieved by attending the seminar is relevant to their working situation. For further details please see the RCGP Guide to the Credit Based System for CPD small pdf logo main

 

3. I am running an all day learning event for GPs, how many CPD points will GPs be able to claim for attending this event?

Credits are self-assessed by the individual GP and must be verified at appraisal. In its simplest form 1 hour of learning activity equates to 1 credit. Furthermore, in order to claim additional credits the individual GP would have to demonstrate at appraisal the impact of learning by providing further supporting information of the personal, practice or patient benefit as a result of the learning activity. For further details please see the RCGP Guide to the Credit Based System for CPD small pdf logo main

 

4. My organisation is running a CPD programme which is already approved and accredited by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)can the College confirm that the programme’s UEMS accreditation is enough to be used for revalidation ‘double-points’ evidence?

Claiming double CPD credits will not be dependant on UEMS Accreditation. It will instead be dependant on individual GPs as to whether they apply the knowledge that they may acquire and accumulate evidence in order to show impact of learning. For further details please see the RCGP Guide to the Credit Based System for CPD small pdf logo main

 

5. I will be holding a CPD event for GPs and those that attend will be provided with an attendance certificate and evaluation and learning documents – would GPs be able to use these documents to demonstrate that their learning has changed practise?

CPD credits based on learning activity are self-assessed and although a certificate of completion or attendance may be used as evidence of activity, it is the demonstration of learning achieved and relevance to the work that the GP undertakes that defines the credit (1 hour of learning activity equates to 1 credit). In order to claim additional credits the individual GP would have to demonstrate at appraisal the impact of learning by providing further evidence of the personal, practice or patient benefit as a result of the learning activity.

 

6. I work for an Institute as part of a General Hospital, would it be possible to apply to get any course we produced as ‘RCGP approved’?

The RCGP does not currently accredit educational products but we are in the development stages of an accreditation process which we hope to have in place in the near future. Once it is available you may apply to have your course accredited. However, the course will be expected to meet particular detailed criteria in order for RCGP accreditation to be granted. Further information about the process for accreditation and the detailed criteria will be made available on the RCGP website in due course.

 

7. When will an RCGP Accreditation process be available?

We are in the development stages of such a process which is currently being piloted internally within the College and the outcomes will be evaluated before it can be finalised. Once the process is finalised it will be made available externally and published on the RCGP website.

 

8. Once there is an RCGP Accreditation process in place, will details of accredited courses and events be published on the RCGP website to encourage GPs to attend?

We are unable to confirm whether there would be links to RCGP accredited products placed on the website but the merits of doing so will be considered during the development and pilot stages of the RCGP Accreditation process.

 

9. Once Accreditation is granted will this allow me to use the RCGP logo on marketing materials and on learning materials for my course?

Once granted, RCGP Accreditation will demonstrate that an educational product has been approved by the RCGP, as having met its quality criteria. RCGP Accreditation will not include the issuing of a license to use the RCGP logo. Authorisation to use the RCGP logo will continue to be issued by the RCGP Honorary Secretary’s Office.

 

10. I understand that you do not have an Accreditation process in place yet however, can I use the following phrase in publicity materials and marketing for my seminars ‘GPs can claim CPD points for attending this seminar’?

An educational product does not currently have to be RCGP approved/accredited in order for an individual GP to claim CPD credits against it but the learning achieved must be demonstrated as being relevant to the working situation of the GP. The College would not recommend the use of the above phrasing for marketing and publicity purposes.

 

11. I am looking to develop a short course for GPs, with the aim of attracting CPD points. What advice can you give me?

We are unable to advise you specifically on the content of the course but if you wish to make this course accessible and relevant to GPs and enable them to claim credits based on the RCGP hours and impact model for CPD credits, please consider the RCGP Guide to the Credit Based System for CPD small pdf logo main