What Are CPD Hours?
Everything practitioners and training providers need to know about CPD hours -- what counts, how to track them and how they relate to CPD points.
What Are CPD Hours?
CPD hours represent the total time spent engaged in structured professional development activities. One CPD hour equals one hour of learning. They provide a straightforward, time-based measure of professional development activity.
CPD hours are widely used across professional sectors as a baseline measure for continuing professional development requirements. Many insurers, professional bodies and employers specify minimum CPD hour requirements for practitioners to maintain their professional standing.
What Counts as a CPD Hour?
Eligible CPD activities include:
- Formal Training: Attending courses, workshops, seminars, conferences and accredited training programmes.
- Online Learning: Completing e-learning modules, webinars and structured online courses.
- Practical Application: Supervised clinical practice, case studies and practical skill development.
- Self-Directed Learning: Structured reading, research and professional literature review.
- Teaching and Mentoring: Delivering training, mentoring colleagues or supervising students.
- Professional Activities: Committee membership, professional body involvement and industry consultation.
CPD Hours and Insurance Requirements
Most professional indemnity insurers require practitioners to complete a minimum number of CPD hours annually, typically between 12 and 30 hours depending on the discipline and insurer. Maintaining accurate CPD hour records is essential for insurance renewals and compliance.
CPD Hours vs CPD Points
CPD hours measure time. CPD points measure both time and quality. While CPD hours remain important as a baseline measure, quality-weighted CPD points provide a more meaningful assessment of professional development value. At CPD.me.uk, both measures are tracked for accredited activities.
Tracking Your CPD Hours
The CPD.me.uk Learner CPD Verification & Tracking Portal allows practitioners to log CPD hours, store certificates, track progress against annual requirements and build a verifiable professional development portfolio.
Track and Manage Your CPD
Record CPD points, CPD hours and certificates within the Learner CPD Verification & Tracking Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
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