Why CPD is essential?

1. Maintaining registration & meeting audit requirements

The Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) classify CPD as “the way in which registrants continue to learn and develop throughout their careers so they keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are able to practise safely and effectively” (rcot.co.uk, hcpc-uk.org). Occupational Therapists renew their registration every two years; for example, the next renewal window is 1  August – 31  October  2025 (hcpc-uk.org). Registrants are required to attest to ongoing CPD, and approximately 2.5 % of occupational therapists are randomly selected for audit – which covers activity between 1  November  2023 and 31  October  2025 (rcot.co.uk).

We encourage you to plan ahead: ensure your records are up to date with diverse CPD activities and explicit reflections on how they have benefitted your service users and practice.

2. Professional development & reflective practice

HCPC standards emphasise a mixture of learning activities, relevance to practice, and outcomes-based reflections (hcpc-uk.org). These standards echo the RCOT’s own frameworks: their Career Development Framework encourages engagement across all four pillars of practice—including reflective supervision, interprofessional learning, and mentoring (ahpf.org.uk).

3. Upholding ethical and global standards

As the world federation of occupational therapists, WFOT underlines that ethical practice requires accountability and continuous professional growth (wfot.org). Their professional support tools further highlight how occupational therapists globally can benefit from intentional, structured learning .

How do we incorporate CPD into practice?

Holistic Planning

We support occupational therapists in setting CPD objectives aligned with both career goals and HCPC audit expectations—encouraging a blend of formal courses, webinars, mentorship, and reflective case reviews.

Record-Keeping Tools

We recommend using e‑portfolios (such as CPDme), which follow RCOT audit timelines and help structure records for easy HCPC submission (hcpc-uk.org, rcot.co.uk).

Reflective Practice

Reflection is the key part of CPD; in order to develop our skills and consider change we must reflect on the information we’ve been provided; just hearing it or attending it simply isn’t enough.  After every session—whether clinical, academic, or self-directed—we prompt therapists to note learning outcomes, impact on client care, and develop an action plan to feed into both personal development and service delivery.

Peer Collaboration

Peer discussions and interprofessional activities, repeatedly endorsed by both HCPC and RCOT, are part of our routine. These facilitate shared learning, innovation, and practice improvement.

Why attend The Occupational Therapy Show (26–27 Nov 2025)?

The OT Show is more than a conference—it’s an immersive professional development experience. Here’s how it aligns with your CPD needs:

• Diverse Learning Formats
  • Theatre style lectures, interactive open floor sessions, and comprehensive exhibition with on stand learning.
• Structured CPD Opportunities
  • Clinical streams covering key clinical areas including:
  • Housing
  • Neurology
  • Mental Health
  • Assistive technology
  • Paediatrics
  • Contemporary practice
  • Sessions are mapped to professional pillars—practice-based, leadership, research, and public health—facilitating well-rounded CPD portfolios.

• Networking  & Peer Learning
  • Connect with colleagues locally and globally, enriching appraisal through shared insights—a WFOT-recommended best practice (wfot.org, rcot.co.uk, hcpc-uk.org, ahpf.org.uk, hcpc-uk.org).
• Support for Audit Preparation
  • Gain direct guidance on CPD recording and audit preparation aligned with HCPC standards, with templates and peer feedback.

Linking to HCPC Registration & Audit Cycle

• Renewal Window: 1 Aug – 31 Oct 2025 (HCPC) (hcpc-uk.org)
• Audit Cycle: Activities from 1 Nov 2023 – 31 Oct 2025; selected occupational therapists audited randomly (2.5%) (rcot.co.uk)
• CPD Definition & Standards: Per HCPC regulations
• RCOT Support: Webinars, drop-ins, RCOT e-portfolio solutions

Attending the Occupational Therapy Show 2025 can directly support these needs—helping you accumulate, reflect on, and streamline your CPD submission, all in alignment with HCPC and RCOT guidance.

Useful Links

• HCPC CPD guidance & audit info
• RCOT support & webinars on audit
• WFOT ethical principles and CPD resources
• HCPC online renewal portal

Taking Next Steps

• Book your place for the Occupational Therapy Show (26–27 Nov 2025).
• Create preliminary CPD goals: clinical skills, leadership, evidence-based practice.
• Plan your CPD path: choose sessions, note variation (interactive, self‑directed, work‑based), and identify reflection times.
• Record as you go: use structured tools (CPDme, portfolios).
• Post-show follow-up: reflect on applications to practice, share learnings with colleagues, and archive evidence for audit.

In Summary

CPD isn’t simply a registration requirement—it’s a powerful driver for improved outcomes, professional growth, and enhanced accountability. Aligned with HCPC’s standards, RCOT’s frameworks, and WFOT’s ethical guidance, CPD empowers occupational therapists to thrive in evolving healthcare environments.

Attending the Occupational Therapy Show on 26–27 November 2025 provides a focused, supported, and stimulating environment to advance your CPD—and strengthen your readiness for the HCPC audit cycle.

We hope this guide helps you appreciate the value of CPD and how best to use it and look forward to seeing you at the Occupational Therapy Show, where your next chapter of professional development begins.

The Occupational Therapy Service