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Frequently asked questions

Is CPD compulsory?

If you are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to practice in the UK you must continue to meet the standards that the HCPC has set for the profession, including their CPD requirements.

As all members registered with the HCPC will be legally required to comply with their CPD requirements, the Society will not be undertaking CPD monitoring that might overlap with the HCPC’s duties as the independent regulator. However, the Society does have future plans to operate CPD monitoring processes for the purposes of determining attainment and/or maintenance of a specific status/award, for example, membership upgrade or Chartered Scientist status. The Society strongly recommends that members maintain an ongoing reflective record of their CPD.

What is the minimum number of hours I should spend on CPD a year?

Whilst we believe that CPD will involve different types of activities for psychologists and that adopting a minimum hours guideline can encourage the view that only formal activities may count as CPD, we recognise that many members would like to know how many hours CPD they should record each year. This is particularly important for those members who rely on a specific hours requirement to obtain CPD time from their employer. In our CPD policy we recommend the minimum amount of time needed for engagement in CPD is likely to be between ½ and 1 day per month. Several of our divisions provide specific recommendations as to the amount of time that chartered members should set aside for CPD activity.

What counts as CPD?

Professional development is not just about taking part in formal learning activities, for example attending a conference or workshop. There is a broad range of activities that may be used for your professional development and it is recommended that you engage in a mix of activities that include work-based learning, professional activity, formal/educational activities, and self-directed learning. These can include:

The Society publishes eleven peer-reviewed primary research psychology journals, as well as special issues and monographs.

The Psychologist is the official monthly publication of The British Psychological Society. It serves as a forum for communication, discussion and debate on a range of psychological topics.

Visit the Publications section of the BPS Shop to download Society newsletters and periodicals.

The Society publishes professional practice guidelines for psychologists.

The result of a unique partnership between the British Psychological Society and Wiley, which ensures the delivery of an essential range of books perfectly suited to the information needs of the practitioner, academic, instructor and student.

Society members receive an exclusive 20% discount on books published by Oxford University Press.

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