8-minute read
Short answer: Don't panic, and don't start writing yet. Being selected is usually random: the HCPC chooses 2.5% of each profession at every renewal. Most people who submit are accepted. Spend week one reading exactly what's asked and gathering your records. Spend week two choosing the activities that best show the standards. Spend week three writing, in your own words. Spend week four checking against the standard, then submit early.
First, check three things in your letter
- The deadline. The HCPC gives about three months. NMC verification gives 21 days to send what's requested. Write the date in your calendar now.
- Exactly what's asked for. The HCPC wants a four-part profile (summary of practice, a list of your CPD, a personal statement, evidence). Other regulators ask for records, reflective accounts or a submission of a set size.
- How to submit. Most now use an online account (HCPC online account, MyNMC, myGPhC).
What some regulators ask for:
| Regulator | What you send | Time allowed |
|---|---|---|
| HCPC | CPD profile: summary of practice (≤500 words), CPD list, personal statement (≤1,500 words), evidence | About 3 months |
| NMC | Information requested after revalidation (verification) | 21 days |
| GPhC | Records already submitted are reviewed; remediation if needed | Feedback within about 6 weeks |
| Social Work England | Your recorded CPD is reviewed | Review runs Jan–Mar |
Week 1: gather everything
- List every piece of learning since your last renewal. Check your diary, your email, your training record, supervision notes, appraisal and the courses your employer logged.
- Include the informal learning: reading, case discussions, teaching students, feedback you acted on.
- Find the evidence: certificates, notes, emails, slides. Remove any patient or client details.
- Look for gaps. The HCPC asks you to explain any gap of three months or more.
Week 2: choose your best examples
- Choose activities that show a mix of learning types, not five courses.
- Prefer ones where you can say what changed in your practice, and who benefited.
- The HCPC suggests building the statement around four to six activities.
Week 3: write it, in your own words
- Summary of practice: what your role involves, who you work with, and the settings you work in. Plain and factual.
- For each activity: what you did, what you learned, what you changed, and who benefited. See six worked examples.
- Link evidence to each claim.
- Don't use AI to write it. Regulators expect your own work, and the HCPC treats text written by others as not meeting the standard. See what regulators say about AI.
Week 4: check, then submit early
- Check each standard or requirement against your draft, one at a time.
- Ask a trusted colleague to read it. Help with reading is fine; the words must be yours.
- Submit a few days early, and keep a copy of everything you sent.
What if I can't meet the deadline?
Contact your regulator as soon as you know. Don't wait for the deadline. Regulators can allow more time in some circumstances, such as illness.
What happens next
With the HCPC, assessors review your profile, usually within 8–12 weeks. They may ask for more information (you'll have 21 days). You stay registered meanwhile.
So you never have to do this in a rush again
Record your CPD the day it happens, including the informal learning, and write two lines about what changed while you remember. When the next letter comes, your profile is mostly written.
Get the one-page audit checklist
The whole plan on one page, to print and tick off as you go.
To have your CPD ready before the next letter, join the waiting list for your profession.