What CPD means, and who decides what counts
The CPD Certification Service (CPD UK) describes Continuing Professional Development as the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities, from training courses and events to study and reading. It separates structured or active learning (courses, workshops, e-learning), reflective or passive learning (training videos, non-interactive lectures) and self-directed learning (reading, forums), and advises at least half of CPD be structured.
A CPD accreditation on a course is a statement by an accrediting organisation about the course. It is not a statement from your regulator that the hours count for you. Alison, for example, says its courses are accredited by CPD UK following its publishing review process and that a certificate can be used as part of your CPD requirements, adding please check with your organisation's guidelines. That last instruction is the important one.
Three regulators, three different rules
These are examples. Accountants, engineers, teachers and others have their own bodies and rules. The method below works for any of them.
| Body | What it requires (from its own page) | Can a solo free online course count? |
|---|---|---|
| NMC (nurses, midwives, nursing associates, UK) | 35 hours of CPD relevant to your scope of practice every three years, at least 20 of them participatory; records of topic, hours and the part of the Code it relates to | Yes as non-participatory hours if relevant and recorded; it needs interaction with other professionals to count as participatory |
| GDC (dental professionals, UK) | Minimum verifiable hours per five-year cycle: 100 for dentists, 75 for dental therapists, hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians, 50 for dental nurses and technicians; at least 10 hours in every two consecutive years | Only if the provider's evidence meets the GDC's verifiable criteria; non-verifiable CPD is not submitted |
| HCPC (health and care professions, UK) | CPD on a continuing basis aligned to current or future practice; 2.5 per cent of each profession randomly selected at renewal to submit a CPD profile | Yes, if it enhances your practice and you can show that in a profile; HCPC says CPD is not only formal courses |
Verifiable versus non-verifiable hours
Where a body uses the term verifiable, the test is about evidence, not effort. The GDC's guidance says that for CPD to be verifiable it must be recorded on your activity log and you must hold evidence from the provider showing: the subject, learning content, aims and objectives; the anticipated GDC development outcomes; the dates; the total hours; your name; that the CPD is subject to quality assurance and by whom; and confirmation that the information is full and accurate. It should also include your registration number.
A generic free course certificate that shows only a course title, your name and a date is missing most of that list. It can still be useful learning, but for a GDC registrant it would not count toward the verifiable minimum. You must keep evidence for the full five-year cycle and for five years after it, according to the GDC guidance.
Step-by-step check before you start a free CPD course
- Open your regulator's or professional body's CPD page and note the hour requirement, the cycle length and any split such as participatory or verifiable hours.
- Check whether the body requires specific evidence from the provider. If it does, copy the list of required fields.
- Look at a sample certificate or ask the provider which of those fields its certificate shows before you begin.
- Check whether the free route gives you any evidence at all. On Alison, study is free and a free Learner Record lists completed and started courses with total study time; the certificate itself is an optional purchase.
- Write down how the course relates to your practice, in your body's terms, before starting. If you cannot, it is unlikely to pass an audit.
- After finishing, log it straight away with hours, date and reflection, using your body's template where one exists.
Worked example: a nurse and a dental nurse use the same free course (invented)
Priya, a UK nurse, completes a free three-hour online course on infection prevention. She logs three hours, notes how it relates to her ward practice and the relevant part of the NMC Code, and saves the Learner Record. It counts toward her 35 hours but not toward the 20 participatory hours, because she studied alone. She later discusses the course at a team learning session, which is a separate participatory activity.
Jo, a dental nurse, completes the same course. Jo's free record does not list GDC development outcomes or a quality assurance body. Under the GDC guidance it is not verifiable, so it does not reduce the 50-hour verifiable minimum. Jo uses it as background and chooses a provider whose certificate includes the GDC-required fields for verifiable hours.
When paying is worth it
Pay for a certificate only when your body needs evidence that the free route does not provide, or when your employer will reimburse it. Alison's pricing page listed a digital certificate at 27.95 euros when we checked; displayed prices can vary by region and promotion. Compare that cost with CPD your employer already provides, since in-house training often comes with the evidence your body expects.
This guide summarizes official pages and does not confirm that any specific course will be accepted by your body. Sources accessed 30 October 2026.
Questions before you decide
Does a CPD-accredited badge mean my regulator accepts the course?
Not automatically. Accreditation is a statement about the course; your body sets its own rules. Alison itself asks learners to check their organisation's guidelines.
Can online CPD count as participatory for NMC revalidation?
The NMC says participatory learning involves interaction with one or more other professionals and can happen in a virtual environment. A course you complete alone is non-participatory.
What must a certificate show for GDC verifiable CPD?
Subject and aims, anticipated GDC development outcomes, dates, total hours, your name, quality assurance details and a statement that the information is accurate, ideally with your registration number.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- CPD Certification Service: CPD explained Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NMC: Revalidation requirements, continuing professional development Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GDC: Enhanced CPD guidance for dental professionals (PDF) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- HCPC: Continuing professional development Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: Are Alison courses CPD accredited/recognised? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison: Certificate pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: How do I download my Learner Record? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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