Many GPs are likely to fall short of their annual CPD accreditations due to increasing workload, a leading GP has warned.
GPs currently require a minimum of 50 CPD credits each year to prove they are fit to practice as part of the General Medical Council’s (GMC) new revalidation process.
But according to National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) chair Dr Charles Alessi, growing pressure following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act has compromised their ability to complete the requirements.
If a GP does not fulfil the CPD requirements for appraisal the GMC will deem them unfit to practice in the UK.
Dr Alessi said: “I’m worried that we could find ourselves in a situation where GP’s are practising without the correct accreditation or worse, are forced not to practise at all. The repercussions of this are obvious.
“GPs now have a multitude of different roles, from caring for patients, to working with commissioning boards, to meeting our annual GMC standards. As a result Continued Professional Development has become secondary and many GPs may find themselves falling short of their annual accreditation requirements.”
