CPD and other supporting information for appraisal

The GMC focus on CPD activity is on quality, not quantity and in particular the role of reflection in supporting learning and improvement. The GMC does not mandate the amount of CPD doctors must undertake, nor the level of detail to be recorded, as this will vary depending on the speciality concerned.

The FFLM understands that members will have varying needs in terms of CPD and that these will be discussed at each annual appraisal. However, CPD activity must cover the full scope of your professional practice and be tailored to your learning needs. There is no rigid recommendation of the number of hours of CPD that is required each appraisal year, but the FFLM recommends that it is undertaken at regular intervals, in a planned, structured way, with reflection where appropriate.

Note that the General Dental Council (GDC) has set out different standards for dental professionals in the form of an enhanced CPD scheme. The enhanced CPD scheme for dentists stipulates a minimum hours’ requirement (100 hours over a five-year revalidation cycle). A further difference with the CPD requirement for doctors is that dentists must have formal documentary evidence of CPD undertaken, and the FFLM will help to facilitate this by retaining its procedure for certification of its educational events. In common with the GMC guidance for doctors, the GDC emphasises the importance of reflection in learning.

A variety of relevant CPD opportunities can be found on the FFLM’s events page.

Details on quality improvement activity, colleague feedback and patient/client feedback can be found in the GMC’s supporting information guidance, and it should be noted that these two categories of supporting information will be required at least once in a five-year revalidation cycle.