Last Updated: 17 April 2023
The CPD cycle entails all elements of a health professional's CPD requirements. It explains every element of CPD including the CPD period, general CPD requirements, and audits.
The amount of CPD you need to complete (in the form of hours) depends upon your registration Board.
Below are the CPD requirements as of 18 April 2023 for the three Registration Boards with the largest communities that use Ausmed. For more information or to find your board, go to the Ahpra website.
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD throughout each registration period.
However, depending on your context of practice, registration type and if you hold any endorsements, you may need to complete more CPD hours or another element of professional development on top of the minimum 20 hours. You may also need to complete a different number of hours if you work in more than one context of practice (eg. as a Registered Nurse and a Midwife). Find an in-depth list of CPD requirements here: Nursing and Midwifery Board - Fact sheet: Continuing professional development.
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is May 31 each year for this board. This means that from June 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 20 hours minimum of CPD before May 31.
Find out more about Nursing and Midwifery CPD here: Nursing and Midwifery Board - Guidelines
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Paramedicine Board of Australia must complete a minimum 30 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. Of these 30 hours, at least 8 hours must be in an interactive setting: this means an activity with two-way flow of information (eg. face-to-face education).
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 30 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Paramedicine CPD here: Paramedicine Board - Continuing Professional Development
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia must complete a minimum 40 CPD credits throughout each registration period.
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
As a registered pharmacist or intern pharmacist, you must also make a note of which CPD Group your learning falls into:
A minimum of 20 CPD credits must come from Group 2 and/or Group 3 activities. That means a maximum of 20 CPD credits can from Group 1 activities.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is September 30 each year for this board. This means that from October 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 30 hours minimum of CPD before September 30.
Find out more about Pharmacy CPD here: Pharmacy Board - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) FAQs
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. Of these 20 hours, at least 5 hours must be in an interactive setting: this means an activity with two-way flow of information (eg. with other practitioner).
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your context of practice, learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 20 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Occupational Therapy CPD here: Occupational Therapy Board - Guidelines
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Psychology Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 30 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. Of these 30 hours, at least 10 hours must be in an interactive setting: this means an activity with two-way flow of information (eg. with supervision and consultation with peers in one-on-one or group format).
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your context of practice, learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 30 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Psychology CPD here: Psychology Board - Registration standards
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD throughout each registration period.
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your context of practice, learning goals, the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 20 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Physiotherapy CPD here: Physiotherapy Board - Guidelines
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. In addition, registered chiropractors are required to maintain a first aid qualification equivalent to HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning plan (comprised of your context of practice, learning goals, and planned activities to achieve these goals), the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 20 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Chiropractic CPD here: Chiropractic Board - Guidelines
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 25 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. Of these 25 hours, at least 4 hours must be on mandatory topics approved by the Osteopathy Board of Australia. In addition, osteopathy practitioners must maintain a senior first aid certificate at the minimum standard of a Senior First Aid (level 2) certificate or equivalent.
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning plan (comprised of your context of practice, learning goals, and planned activities to achieve these goals), the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 25 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Osteopathy CPD here: Osteopathy Board - Guidelines
Healthcare practitioners registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD throughout each registration period. Of these 20 hours, at least 5 hours must be in an interactive setting: this means an activity with two-way flow of information (eg. face-to-face education), as well as at least 4 hours completed relating to professional issues (eg. ethics, professional boundaries, and so forth).
This CPD must be recorded, and this portfolio must include your learning plan (comprised of your context of practice, learning goals, and planned activities to achieve these goals), the learning activities you completed, the amount of time each learning activity took, and reflections for each activity focused on what you gained. This portfolio must also include evidence of you having completed these activities, such as certificates or notes from the activity.
This CPD must be completed before the next year’s registration date, which is November 30 each year for this board. This means that from December 1 each year, a new registration year begins and you must complete another 20 hours minimum of CPD before November 30.
Find out more about Chinese Medicine Medicine Practitioner CPD here: Chinese Medicine Board - Guidelines
Once you’ve read this article on the amount of CPD required, return to the CPD Guide to find out more about your required professional development. We recommend reading ‘What is a CPD portfolio?’ next!
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