Information for existing CPD providers

All CPD providers must adhere to our standards for CPD providers, which are set out in our guidance for providers document. If you are unsure about your or your organisation’s responsibilities under the standards, please contact the CPD team on cpd@optical.org. We encourage all providers to read the guidance carefully so that they can be confident about what they need to do.

Full provider status 

Full provider status allows a CPD provider to plan, develop and deliver their CPD content without having to seek approval from the GOC in advance, because they have satisfied our quality assurance requirements.

Those holding full provider status will retain it indefinitely unless they are removed from the list of providers, concerns are identified following audit, or they fail to pay the annual provider fee when it is due.

Provisional provider status

Those wishing to be listed as CPD providers for the first time will need to submit an application via the CPD team (cpd@optical.org). 

Once approved, these providers will hold provisional provider status and must apply to have CPD approved in advance of delivery and cannot do so until the GOC has approved it. This is so we can be assured that we have an up-to-date understanding of the quality of learning delivered. Once a provisional provider has delivered more than ten pieces of approved CPD, they may become eligible for an upgrade to full provider status. Providers will be notified when this is the case.

CPD provider audit

Provider audit has been introduced from the 2022-24 CPD cycle as a form of quality assurance. The purpose of audit is to make sure the learning providers deliver to registrants is of good quality and meets the Standards for CPD providers, as outlined in annex 2 of our Provider guide for CPD.

Up to ten percent of providers will be audited each calendar year, and it is carried out by looking at records on the CPD provider account platform.

Our Guide to audit of providers of CPD contains:

• an introduction to the audit process, including why and when it takes place and how providers will know if they’ve been selected; and
• an outline of the process, including what will be looked at, potential outcomes, and next steps following receiving these outcomes.

Download and read Guide to audit of providers of CPD 

CPD provider logos and guidance

We provide logos in various formats for you to use to promote the CPD you provide, as well as guidance on their use.

• Download CPD logos
• Download CPD branding guidance document