GUIDANCE for doctors on how to plan, carry out and evaluate their CPD has been published by the General Medical Council ahead of the launch of revalidation.
Continuing professional development: guidance for all doctors advises doctors to "reflect on their learning needs" based on the GMC’s core guidance Good Medical Practice. It also encourages practitioners to use information from their CPD within their appraisal as this will be the basis upon which they revalidate.
CPD is classed as any learning outside of undergraduate education or postgraduate training that helps doctors "maintain and improve" their performance. A summary of CPD activity will have to be brought to annual appraisals to show requirements for revalidation have been met.
The GMC recommends doctors undertake a range of different CPD activities to address a particular learning need, rather than one-off events. It should be a mix of formal and informal learning, the guidance adds, and take place at local and national/international levels.
The document also includes a list of questions designed to help doctors assess the impact of their learning.
GMC chair Professor Sir Peter Rubin said: "Continuous advances in medical science mean that all doctors need to ensure they are always at the leading edge of medical practice.
"Lifelong learning is the key to ensuring that doctors keep up-to-date and this new guidance will support doctors in their efforts to achieve this and in their preparation for revalidation.
"We hope they will use it to reflect on how their learning and development improves the quality of care they provide for patients and for the service in which they work."
Read the guidance here
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
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