Some schemes count hours, some count points, some count neither. What each measure means, how to convert between them, and what to record so you are covered either way.
CPD is measured in at least three different ways across UK professions, and the confusion costs people real effort. Here is what each measure means and how to keep a record that satisfies all of them.
CPD hours
The simplest measure: one hour of learning equals one CPD hour. The NMC's 35 hours for revalidation is the best-known example. Hours are easy to understand and easy to evidence - the weakness is that an hour of passive listening is counted the same as an hour that transforms your practice, which is why most schemes pair hours with a reflection requirement.
CPD points or units
Points schemes attach a value to activities rather than raw time. ACCA's 40 units a year is roughly one unit per hour of relevant learning, but some schemes weight activities - an accredited course might earn more points than private reading. Always check your own body's conversion rules, because they differ.
Outcomes-based schemes
Social Work England and the HCPC do not count time at all. They ask: can you show a varied mix of learning, and can you show it changed your practice? Under these schemes a single well-reflected activity can be worth more than twenty hours of unreflected courses.
How to convert between them
As a working rule of thumb:
- 1 CPD hour = 1 CPD point in most schemes that use both terms.
- Verifiable CPD (with evidence like a certificate) sometimes counts double or is required in a minimum proportion - ACCA's 21 of 40 verifiable units, for example.
- Where no number is set, aim for a regular rhythm - an hour or two a week is a commonly cited healthy benchmark across professions.
What to record so you are covered either way
Whichever scheme you fall under, capture the same core fields and you can report in any currency:
- Date and duration - gives you hours.
- Activity type and provider - lets you classify verifiable versus non-verifiable, participatory versus solo.
- What you learned - the substance behind any points claim.
- What changed in your practice - the outcome evidence that hours-only schemes increasingly ask for anyway.
Record those four things consistently and converting between hours, points and outcomes becomes an admin task rather than a research project.
The trap to avoid
Do not chase the number. A record of 40 hours of unreflected attendance is weaker, in almost every audit, than 20 hours of mixed learning with genuine reflections. The measure is the floor, not the goal.
Frequently asked questions
- Is one CPD point the same as one CPD hour?
- In most schemes, yes - one point per hour of learning is the common convention. But some bodies weight activities differently, so always check your own regulator's rules.
- What is verifiable CPD?
- Learning you can evidence independently - a certificate, assessment result or attendance record. Reading and reflection count as non-verifiable unless you can produce notes or a reflective account.
- Which professions use hours and which use points?
- The NMC uses hours (35 over three years). ACCA uses units (40 a year). Social Work England and the HCPC use neither - they assess the mix and impact of your learning.
- How many CPD hours should I do a year?
- Where no figure is set, one to two hours a week is a widely used benchmark. Consistency and reflection matter more than hitting a big annual total.
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