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 is for providers who have had over ten successful applications for CET during the 2019-21 cycle. They are able to design and deliver CPD to registrants from 1 January 2022 without needing to have it approved by the GOC in advance of delivery. We are able to grant this freedom to approved providers because we have a good and up-to-date understanding of the quality of learning they deliver.

Provisional provider status

Provisional provider status is for providers who have had fewer than ten successful applications for CET during the 2019-21 cycle, or who are new providers entering the register. These providers 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 they deliver. 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