CME Accreditation Guide

In this section: 

• Defining “Continuing Medical Education” and “Continuing Professional Development”
• What is CPSC CME Accreditation?
• At whom is CPSC CME aimed?

                Defining “Continuing Medical Education” and “Continuing Professional Development” 

CPD has been specifically defined by the GMC as a “continuing process, outside formal undergraduate and postgraduate training, that enables individual doctors to maintain and improve standards of medical practice through the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour. CPD should also support specific changes in practice. It covers all learning activities, both formal and informal, by which doctors keep up to date.” [2]

CME has been specifically defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) as “educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. The content of CME is the body of knowledge and skills generally recognised and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public.” [3]

It is therefore evident that both CME and CPD are important aspects of the medical appraisal system and should be recorded appropriately by an individual, for example, in a Personal Development Plan.

                What is CPSC CME Accreditation? 

CPSC CME accreditation is a commitment to provide the highest professional standard of  continued medical education in a variety of medical  specialities. It ensures that the knowledge  and skills imparted are of an appropriate standard to contribute to an individual’s CPD. These standards are outlined in this guide in order to demonstrate how a CME accredited course, which is facilitated or endorsed by CPSC, has attained this recognition of excellence and meets the criteria for awarding CME/CPD points.

A individual guide is provided for each course that qualifies for CME accreditation. Information regarding the suitability of the accredited activity, the ways in which attending one of our accredited events supports the requirements of an individual’s development, and the educational value of a certain event can be found in the individual course guide.

CPSC CME accreditation should not be confused with accreditation provided by a university or similar academic institution. It should be considered as an independent source of CME accreditation specific to medical and medical-related fields, as defined in this guide or the specific event CME guide.

                At whom is CPSC CME aimed? 

CPSC CME is primarily aimed at doctors intending to improve their knowledge and skills in order to enhance their CPD. However, our events address a variety of specialities within the field of medicine. The knowledge and skills imparted are therefore relevant to allied medical professionals or those working in professions that contribute to the medical field. Listed below are examples of professionals who may benefit from attending our educational programmes:

• Medical Directors

• NHS Managers

• Nurses

• Medical Support Workers

• Allied Health Workers

• Advanced Prescribing Clinical Podiatrists

• Occupational Therapists

• Sonographers

• Physiotherapists
• Biomedical Engineers

• To ensure that the content of a CME accredited event contributes to the CPD of all necessary grades of medical professionals, as specified by the objectives of the course.

• To provide unique educational training in all CME activities.

• To eliminate any bias or conflicts of interest that may compromise educational  standards.

• To evaluate all CME events and to specifically assess individual CME activities within events to ensure that standards are continuously met.

• To maintain a register of CME accredited events in order to support the CPD portfolios of medical professionals.

• To structure CME activities in such a way that allows their continual evaluation and development.

In this section: 

• Target Audience
• Educational Aims
• Programme Structure and Content
• Delivery Methods
• Supporting Material
• Faculty Qualifications and Expertise
• Evaluation and Quality Assurance
• Venue, Facilities and Amenities
• Third Party Sponsorship
• Legislative and Policy Compliance
• Administrative Arrangements

The training standards defined in this guide are the general, qualitative characteristics that each course must possess in order to be granted CME accreditation status.

                Target Audience

• The target audience of the event must be clearly defined and communicated to delegates.
• All delegates attending the event must meet the defined target audience criteria.
• The event must meet the requirements of the target audience in order to help satisfy necessary CME/CPD criteria that can be satisfactorily approved by an appraiser.

                Educational Aims 

• The educational aims of the event must be clearly defined and communicated to delegates.
• The ways in which the knowledge and skills will be delivered must be stated and it must be made clear how this will help achieve the aims of the event.
• The educational aims must demonstrate that there is the potential for existing knowledge and skills to be consolidated and advanced.
• The educational aims of the event must state the knowledge and skills that the delegate is expected to obtain in order to warrant receivership of documentation that states the learning outcome(s).

                Programme Structure and Content 

• A detailed programme of the overall structure and content of the event must be provided before delegates can register to attend.
• The content of the programme must satisfy the necessary CME/CPD criteria that can be approved by an appraiser.
• All content must be of an educational nature and must be demonstrated to contribute to the development of a delegate’s medical knowledge or skill(s).
• All educational content must be demonstrably accurate, evidence based, up-to-date and, if necessary, presented to delegates by a relevant and credible source.
• Content that can be considered as biased, unjustifiable or of a questionable nature must not be taught as content during the event, unless it is demonstrably advantageous to use this material as a stimulus for educational discussion.
• Where appropriate, clinical content must meet the necessary policies, guidelines and laws set by the relevant local or national body/institution.
• An event can be awarded a maximum of six CME credits per day, with one credit equivalent to one hour of content provided directly to a delegate.
• A CME credit can only be granted as a whole, i.e., one credit can be awarded for one hour. If one hour is not fulfilled then no partial credit can be granted.
• Allocation of a CME credit is not limited to the length of a specific session or day but to the educational learning time accumulated throughout the whole event.
• An event should have at least one break for every three hours of content provided.
• Refreshment breaks and lunch break are not included in the consideration for the number of hours satisfied at an event for CME credit(s) to be granted.
• Introductory and concluding sessions that do not address educational material pertinent to clinical practice are not included in the number of hours required to obtain CME credit(s).
• Unless specifically stated otherwise, supportive eLearning material supplied along with an event is by default not included in the number of hours required to obtain CME credit(s).

        Delivery Methods 

• The method(s) used to deliver content must be clearly stated and communicated to delegates.
• The method(s) used to deliver content to delegates must be clear and in both a format and style which ensures comprehension by the necessary level(s) of delegates, as specified by the target audience.
• The method(s) used to deliver content must be relevant to the defined aims.
• The method(s) used must enable delegates to reflect on the knowledge they are gaining and assess the impact on both their current and future performance in clinical practice.

                Supporting Material 

• Supporting material(s) must be available online for delegates for a specified period of time.
• Supporting material(s) must be accurate and up-to-date with relevant citation where appropriate.
• Supporting material(s) must display the name, relevant organisation details and contact information of any third parties that contribute to the content.
• Supporting material(s) must be notarised with the CPSC logo, CME accreditation logo, date of event, location of event and any other relevant publication details.
• Any organisation, institution or company that sponsors an event must be mentioned within any supporting material.

                Faculty Qualifications and Expertise 

• The faculty members must be able to demonstrate relevant expertise and provide appropriate knowledge and skills. The knowledge and skills imparted must be to a high enough standard to warrant educating peers on a given topic.
• The qualifications and expertise of the faculty members must be verified before they are permitted to teach at an event, with necessary signed documentation to confirm possession of the appropriate expertise.

                Evaluation and Quality Assurance 

• Each event must clearly outline the ways in which the activities and content will be evaluated by the attendees (inclusive of delegates and faculty), as well as by CPSC itself.
• Each attendee must evaluate the event as a whole, as well as the individual activities and components that make up the CME teaching throughout the event.
• Each attendee (excluding faculty) must state whether the educational aims and desired learning outcomes of the event were met.
• Each attendee must state whether there were any aspects that they believe could have introduced bias or compromised the educational validity of the event.
• Each attendee must state whether the teaching received was relevant, accurate and of the expected standard.
• Each attendee must state whether the faculty were of a relevant standard and of competent expertise to provide CME.
• All CME events must be evaluated by attendees within a 28-day period upon receipt of the feedback form if the attendee is to receive CME accreditation.
• If a delegate chooses not to provide evaluation of the course, this must be clearly highlighted in the feedback summary and, if possible, a reason should be provided.
• All CME events must be evaluated with the following questions to ensure that the CME aims are satisfied. Evaluation is not limited to these questions. Individual CME activities that take place during the event are assessed independently by specific questions.
• How was the overall content of the course?
• Was the content relevant to the CME objectives?
• Did the course meet the CME objectives?
• How would you rate the general academic standard of the faculty?
• How would you rate the clarity of the presentations/demonstrations?
• How would you rate the organisation of the course?
• How would you rate the relevance of the event to your CPD?
• Would you recommend this course to other delegates seeking CPD?
• Did you feel that anything compromised or prejudiced the educational learning?
• Upon reflection, which component of this CME activity has benefited you the most?
• Any form of assessment used during the event to measure the knowledge or skills of delegates must be clearly stated, described and communicated prior to the most?

                Venue, Facilities and Amenities 

• The venue and facilities provided must be of an appropriate nature to allow the aims of the event to be met.
• The venue should provide the necessary facilities to make a delegate’s visit comfortable, i.e. toilet facilities, access to fresh water and space to take a break.
• The appropriate amenities should be provided based on the specified length of the course. Refreshment breaks should be allocated as specified in section 3.3.10 and, if the course encompasses a full working day, lunch should be provided.

                Third Party Sponsorship 

• Sponsorship can be accepted provided that it does not influence, bias or compromise the content, and therefore the educational standard, of the event.

• Sponsorship must be clearly defined and communicated to delegates.

• There should not be any advertising or promotional material in areas where educational teaching is delivered.

• The provision of specific equipment which facilitates learning that otherwise would not be able to take place is permitted, provided the equipment is not adorned with advertisements or logos or presented in a way that could be deemed to show bias towards its use over another comparable product.

• Sponsors who are to present an educational product at an event must complete a ‘Declaration of Interest’ form in order to attend.

                Legislative and Policy Compliance 

• The event must meet the current, relevant regulatory and legislative requirements, as stipulated by the relevant organisation(s) and institutional bodies.

• The event must follow the current, appropriate clinical policies and guidance, as stipulated by the relevant organisation(s) and institutional bodies.

                Administrative Arrangements 

A register of those who have attended an event must be kept for 36 months and a copy of the certification presented to a delegate must be retained for a minimum of ten years. The start date is the concluding day of the course.

In this section: 

• Applying CME

• CME Types

• Conditions for Delegate Attendance at CME Accredited Events

                Applying CME 

A CPSC CME accredited event can be applied to an individual’s CPD in the ways  described           in this section. Application will depend on the type of course and its learning objectives. For specific details of the knowledge and skills gained from a certain course, the ways in which  to  self-  accredit with the appropriate evidence, and how this can be applied to an individual’s portfolio, please see the individual CME Guide relevant to the course.

It is the responsibility of each individual to record any CPD that has educational value. Where an activity has not been formally approved as contributing to CPD, it is the responsibility of the individual to record the activity and document the learning achieved. Learning may reinforce existing good practice, as well as provide new knowledge. CPSC CME Accredited Courses can be applied in    this way since evidence can be provided in an individual’s portfolio through the means of a certificate issued by the College. Subsequently, the appraiser will contact CPSC and request that we confirm the allocated CPD where relevant. A delegate  may  attend  a  CME  accredited  course more than once. However, he/she will only receive a certificate of attendance for subsequent attendance and no further CME points will be awarded.

Below are various activities from our events which can be considered as part of an individual’s CPD via our CME Accreditation. This list is not exhaustive and is purely an example of how certain activities can be deemed relevant:

                CME Types 

• Self directed learning, including reading academic information via CPSC online course material.
• Completing multiple-choice question assessments on a given clinical
• Attending meetings or courses which address clinical
• Participating in interactive clinical
• Attending seminars and small group learning
• Following a training programme in a new technique or
• Accessing supportive eLearning components to support attendance at
• Presenting to certified medical health professionals at a scientific meeting (one presentation only).

   Conditions for Delegate Attendance at CME Accredited Events

• A delegate must be in attendance for the entire duration of the session to warrant CME accreditation for that
• A delegate must attend a session promptly. Arrival later than five minutes after the start of the session will make the allocation of CME in that session void at the discretion of the course or event convenor. Exemption may be made for mitigating circumstances, provided the time missed has not compromised any educational objectives or learning.
• A delegate can be accredited for attendance at a specific event once per appraisal year. Attendance at the same course multiple times will not grant additional
• A delegate can receive separate CME accreditation for attendance at multiple different events, provided the objectives and type of teaching are different to that offered at the preceeding course(s).
• A delegate is required to sign in and sign out of events to verify his or her attendance. This sign-in and sign-out sheet is to be included in the individual CME Summary of an event. An example of the form which needs to be completed can be found in this guide, marked as Appendix 1. Each individual delegate is solely accountable for completing the form as appropriate; it cannot be completed by another delegate or a member of faculty and it cannot be completed prior to or following the
• A delegate must remain professional at all times. Behaviour deemed non-professional can result in CME accreditation being made void at the discretion of the course or event
• If a delegate misses more than 50% of the entire educational learning time for any reason, and if it is adjudged that the delegate has missed key components of the educational learning, it is at the discretion of the course or event convenor to void all subsequent CME credits awarded for attendance in

In this section: 

• Applying CME
• Conditions for Teaching at CME Accredited Events

               Applying CME

 A CPSC CME accredited event can be applied to the CPD of an individual who is teaching in       the ways described in this section. Application will depend on the type of course and its learning objectives. For specific details of the knowledge and skills gained from a certain course, the ways in which to self-accredit with the appropriate evidence, and how this can be applied to an  individual’s portfolio, please see the individual CME Guide relevant to the course.

It is the responsibility of each individual to record any CPD that has educational value. Where an activity has not been formally approved as contributing to CPD, it is the responsibility of the individual to record the activity and document the learning achieved. Learning may reinforce existing good practice, as well as provide new knowledge. CPSC CME Accredited Courses can be applied in    this way since evidence can be provided in an individual’s portfolio through the means of a certificate issued by the College. Subsequently, the appraiser will contact CPSC and request that  we confirm the allocated CPD where relevant.

                Conditions for Teaching at CME Accredited Events

 Faculty members who teach on a CME accredited course must meet the following criteria in order to receive accreditation through the means of a certificate issued upon completion of the event:

• Faculty members must be in attendance for the entire duration of the agreed session(s) in order to ensure maximum interaction with delegates and warrant the issue of CME
• Faculty members must attend a session promptly. Arrival later than five minutes after the start of the session will make the allocation of CME in that session void at the discretion of the course or event convenor. Exemption may be made for mitigating circumstances or for acquisition and preparation of relevant teaching resources which were previously unavailable, provided the time missed has not compromised any educational objectives or
• Faculty can be accredited for teaching at a specific event once per appraisal year. Teaching on the same course multiple times will not grant additional
• Faculty members can receive separate CME accreditation for teaching at multiple different events, provided the objectives and type of teaching are different to that offered at the preceeding course(s).

CPSC provides the following types of teaching:

• Clinical teaching and training
• Interview training
• Supervisory training
• Development activities

CPSC provides teaching in the following formats:

• Lectures and seminars
• Workshops and clinical skills teaching
• Small group teaching
• Supportive eLearning components
• Faculty members are required to sign in and sign out of events to verify their attendance. This sign-in and sign-out sheet is to be included in the individual CME Summary of an event. An example of the form which needs to be completed can be found in this guide, marked as Appendix 1. Each individual faculty member is solely accountable for completing the form as appropriate; it cannot be completed by another member of faculty and it cannot be completed prior to or following the event.
• Faculty members must remain professional at all times. Behaviour considered non- professional can result in CME accreditation being made void at the discretion of the course or event convenor.

As stated in Section 3, under sub-section 3.11.1, a register of those who have attended an event will be kept for 36 months and a copy of the certification presented to a delegate will be retained for a minimum of ten years.

To request a copy of this, please email:                      info@doctorsacademy.org.uk

 Kindly state the following:

• Full name given at registration (first, middle and last name, where appropriate).
• Registration number.
• Title of event.
• Date of

A replacement certificate will only be issued upon receipt of these details in order to ensure verification of the delegate.

• General Medical Council. Principles of continuing professional development.
• http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/continuing_professional_development/26720.asp (accessed 20 June 2015)
• General Medical Council. What is CPD? http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/continuing_professional_development/26729.asp (accessed 20 June 2015)

• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). CME Content of CME:
• Definition and Examples. http://www.accme.org/requirements/accreditation-require ments-cme-providers/policies-anddefinitions/
• cme-content-definition-and-examples (accessed 20 June 2015)