Home » Continuing Professional Development » CPD Approval for Event Providers

CPD Approval for Event Providers

The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) approves events, conferences, courses, seminars and other educational training activities for CPD, described here as ‘events’. Relevant events will have medical content with a target audience of medical practitioners and can be for an internal or external audience, national or international, online or face to face.

FPM approvals may be used for promotional purposes with ‘The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine has approved this event for CPD’ and the number of CPD points awarded by FPM stated on promotional material. Approval also includes listing on our CPD website which is available to all our members.

In this section

Commercial Providers

For commercial providers who market events externally, the approval fee is £140 per course. If the same event is held on multiple occasions, where the content of the event remains the same, then one application fee will cover all events over a two-year period. A discount is available for course providers who submit applications for 10 or more courses per year, email cpd@fpm.org.uk for more information. FPM is not registered for VAT.

Event organisers can apply by completing form by completing the event approval form (DOC, 333KB). This should be sent to cpd@fpm.org.uk along with the programme/agenda for the event. Applications should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the event.

The guidance below explains this in more depth.

Charities, public bodies, not-for-profit organisations and companies organising in-house training events

Approval is free for charities, public bodies and not-for-profit organisations, even if you charge delegates a fee to attend, and for companies organising in-house training events for their staff. If the same event is held on multiple occasions, where the content of the event remains the same, then one application will cover all events over a two-year period.

Event organisers can apply by completing form by completing the event approval form (DOC, 333KB). This should be sent to cpd@fpm.org.uk along with the programme/agenda for the event. Applications should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the event.

The guidance below explains this in more depth.

What information do you need to provide?

Please ensure that the following areas are addressed in the application form:

  • The name of event
  • The event start and end date
  • The target audience
  • A link to the event webpage (if available)
  • The subject area the event will cover
  • The educational objectives of the event
  • The specific skills/knowledge the participants will acquire
  • The teaching methods used
  • Number of hours of learning (excluding breaks etc)
  • The fee charged to participants (if applicable)
  • If the event is sponsored, and if so, by which organisation
  • How you will evaluate the event’s success

And you  need to either submit a copy of the event programme with your application or have provided a link to the programme in the application form.

Apply for CPD approval

  • Commercial Providers: £140 per approval
  • Charities, public bodies, not-for-profit organisations and companies organising in-house training: Free
Apply

How are the events assessed?

FPM will accredit external CPD events which meet suitable standards of quality and which are directly relevant to professional practice. The content of the programme will be assessed to confirm this and to determine the number of CPD points to be awarded.

CPD points will correspond to the duration of the educational activity, with one hour of educational activity equalling one CPD point. The event accreditation is only valid for the activity as it was described on the application form and attached programme. Any amendment to the content, particularly the agenda, programme or duration, will require the activity to be re-accredited by FPM. The minimum number CPD points we award is 0.25 for 15 minutes of learning.

What happens once the application for CPD approval has been submitted?

FPM will notify the event organiser of the outcome/credit allocation within 2 weeks, and note applications should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the event.

If the event is approved, FPM will invoice the organiser of commercial events for the payment of £140 per approved course. You can pay by credit card or by bank transfer.

 

What information can organisers include in promotional material and websites?

Once notification of the credit allocation has been received, this information can be used for promotional purposes with the following form of words ‘The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine has approved this event/course for CPD’. The maximum number of CPD points allocated by FPM can also be stated. However we do not allow the use the FPM logo or the use any other means which might suggest a wider form of accreditation or partnership. Organisers should contact FPM via cpd@fpm.org.uk for guidance if they are unsure about this.

Approval also includes listing on our CPD website which is available to all our members.