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Physiotherapy CPD examples: three ways to structure clearer CPD reflections

These fictional physiotherapy CPD examples show how three different learning activities can become clearer CPD records and CPD reflection entries for HCPC registrants. Use them to understand structure, evidence, impact on practice and next steps, then adapt your own records to your role, scope and learning.

Do not copy these examples into your own CPD submission. UK physiotherapists must meet HCPC CPD requirements; for general expectations and portfolio preparation, see our HCPC CPD guide. HandyCPD supports structure and reflection drafting; you remain responsible for reviewing, editing and approving every record before relying on it or including it in your own CPD portfolio.

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Resources support CPD learning and organisation. You review and approve every record.

HandyCPD supports CPD recording and reflection drafting. It does not replace professional judgement. You remain responsible for reviewing, editing and approving all records before relying on them or submitting CPD to HCPC, CSP, an employer or auditor. HandyCPD does not guarantee acceptance, compliance or audit outcomes.

How to use these examples

Each example follows the same HandyCPD workflow (Plant Seed, log card, reflection, draft and optional PDF export), but the screenshots match a specific scenario. Do not copy text into your own CPD submission. Use the examples to see how learning can be linked to practice change, professional standards and next steps.

For broader reflection writing, see how to write a CPD reflection, the Gibbs reflective cycle guide and the Rolfe reflection model guide. You may also find our occupational therapy CPD examples useful for a parallel HCPC-registrant walkthrough. Explore all guides on the resources hub.

What makes a good physiotherapy CPD example?

A strong physiotherapy CPD example usually shows more than attendance. It explains what learning took place, why it mattered to your role or scope, and what changed in your thinking or practice.

What learning took place and why it was relevant to your physiotherapy role or scope.
How your thinking or practice changed as a result.
How it may benefit patients or service users where relevant.
What evidence could support the record.
What next steps follow from the learning.

Different activities need different levels of detail. Check current HCPC CPD guidance where relevant before submitting records or evidence.

Physiotherapy CPD template: what to include

This is not an official HCPC or CSP template. It is a simple planning structure to help you think through what a physiotherapy CPD record might include before you write and review your own version. Check current professional guidance before submitting CPD records or evidence.

Activity title and date
Type of CPD activity
Role or scope relevance
What you learned
Reflection on impact
Evidence attached or stored
Next steps

A structured CPD log card can help capture the activity details before you build your reflection. If you use HandyCPD, supporting evidence can be kept alongside the CPD record in the Evidence Library.

Compare the three physiotherapy CPD examples

The table below compares the three fictional examples so you can see how different physiotherapy learning activities can be recorded, reflected on and supported with evidence.

Example	CPD type	Reflection focus	Evidence ideas
ICU ABG interpretation	Work-based learning	Clinical reasoning, escalation, patient safety	Teaching notes, supervision notes, anonymised learning notes
Sports rehabilitation and return-to-play	Conference or formal learning	Return-to-play decisions, rehabilitation progressions, MDT communication	Certificate, programme, notes, action plan
Persistent pelvic pain and trauma-informed care	Online course or specialist learning	Biopsychosocial reasoning, trauma-informed communication, scope-aware practice	Course certificate, reading notes, reflective summary

Example 1: Band 5 rotational physiotherapist (ICU ABG interpretation)

Scenario

A Band 5 physiotherapist on an ICU rotation attends in-house teaching on arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation. The learning is participatory, ward-based and relevant to assessing acutely unwell patients.

CPD activity

In-house ABG interpretation teaching session led by an ICU clinical educator.
Structured approach to acid-base balance using anonymised clinical examples.
Approximately 1.5 hours of work-based learning.

Reflection focus

Confidence interpreting ABG results in a systematic way.
Clinical reasoning when acid-base patterns are complex.
Patient safety and knowing when to escalate or seek senior input.
Communication with ICU colleagues about physiological findings.
Using supervision to consolidate learning on complex cases.

What the CPD record should show

What was taught and what you learned about structured ABG interpretation.
How your approach changed compared with previous ad-hoc methods.
How this may support safer assessment and clearer communication in ICU practice.
Concrete next steps: for example, applying the method in practice and discussing cases with seniors.

How this CPD activity looks in HandyCPD

Brief seed notes become a structured log card with tags such as work-based learning and physiology. The Reflection Engine then helps scaffold a Rolfe-style draft you edit and approve before export.

This fictional example is anonymised. Do not copy it verbatim or include patient-identifiable, service-user-identifiable or confidential information in your own CPD records.

Walkthrough in HandyCPD

Step 1: Plant a Seed

Start with brief, anonymised notes about the teaching session, for example an in-house ABG interpretation session led by an ICU clinical educator. HandyCPD uses this seed to help structure a CPD log card you can review before going further.

HandyCPD Plant Seed screen with notes about an ICU arterial blood gas interpretation teaching session.

Step 2: Review your CPD log card

Check the structured summary, tags, duration and linked standards. Edit anything inaccurate or too identifying. This is your record. AI suggestions are a starting point for your review.

HandyCPD CPD log card for an ABG interpretation teaching session with work-based learning tags.

Step 3: Build your reflection

Use guided prompts and insight cards in the Reflection Engine to scaffold what you learned, including clinical reasoning, safety and communication. Select points that reflect your own learning; refine them in your own words. The Rolfe model (What? So what? Now what?) is one optional framework shown in these screenshots.

HandyCPD Reflection Engine showing Rolfe So What insight cards for an ICU ABG interpretation reflection.

Step 4: Review your reflection draft

Read the full draft as if you were preparing a CPD profile. Does it explain what you learned, how your thinking changed, and what you will do differently, including when to seek supervision? Edit until it accurately represents your development.

HandyCPD professional CPD record draft for an ABG interpretation reflection using What, So What, Now What sections.

Step 5: Create or export a PDF for your records

Export a PDF when you need a portable copy for your own portfolio or audit preparation. You choose what to include and must review exports before sharing them. HandyCPD supports your record-keeping; it does not submit CPD on your behalf. See CPD PDF Export for how PDF export works in the app.

View the Band 5 ABG example PDF: fictional sample for learning only. Review and adapt before using anything in your own portfolio.