Revised guidance from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges emphasises that the focus of CPD should be on its quality and reflection of its impact on a clinician's practice, rather than the amount of time spent on the activity and that the responsibility for identifying CPD requirements rests with the individual and should be based on their personal areas of practice and personal development plan agreed at their annual appraisal.

Although one 'CPD credit' will normally equate to one hour of educational activity, the amount of educational activity obtained from a specific event may vary between individuals depending on an individual's specific learning outcomes.