Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Requirements

As psychologists, ensuring we meet the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements set out by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is essential for maintaining our registration and delivering high-quality care. One area that often causes confusion is peer consultation—what counts, what doesn’t, and how certain activities, such as group supervision fit into this framework.

Understanding Peer Consultation

CPD helps psychologists maintain, enhance, and expand their knowledge, skills, and competence throughout their careers. Unlike earlier formal education, CPD is self-directed and practice-based, continuing beyond initial training. It includes structured and unstructured activities that support professional growth and ensure relevance in practice. CPD also encourages exploration of new areas of competence, enhancing psychologists' ability to make informed decisions in complex situations.

Can Group Supervision Be Counted as Peer Consultation?

Peer consultation involves discussing psychological practice issues with peers, either one-on-one or in groups, and should align with your CPD goals. Group peer consultation can occur face-to-face, via teleconference, videoconference, or correspondence and includes:

• Small group case discussions with other psychologists.
• Peer support networks.
• Workplace discussion groups focusing on your practice.

Only the time spent focusing on your own practice during these sessions counts as peer consultation. If the group discusses each participant’s practice, you should estimate and claim only the time spent on your own. Time spent advising and focusing on others can count towards your 20 hours of general CPD but not as peer consultation hours.

Summary of CPD

Annual registration renewal requires participation in CPD according to the Board's standards. Before CPD became mandatory in 2010, most psychologists regularly engaged in such activities. To meet the current minimum requirements, you should:

1. Develop and regularly update a written learning plan based on self-assessment, outlining CPD goals, activities, timeframes, and expected outcomes.
2. Complete annually between December 1 and November 30:

10 hours of peer consultation.
20 hours of other CPD activities aligned with your plan.

3. Maintain a CPD portfolio that includes your learning plan, activity logs, evidence of participation, and written reflections.
If audited, you only need to demonstrate compliance with these minimum standards, though many psychologists exceed them through additional professional development activities.

How can we support you?

Benefit from tailored professional development, peer consultation, and workshops explicitly designed to support your early career and beyond! Check out our Psychologist Hub for more information.

The above information is based on the Psychology Board of Australia GUIDELINES: CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 December 2015