Yes — online CPD counts fully toward your HCPC registration requirements. The HCPC does not distinguish between learning that happens in a lecture theatre, a conference room, or on a screen. What it assesses is whether your CPD meets its four standards: that it is a varied mix of activities, that it is relevant to your practice, that it has contributed to the quality of your work, and that it benefits service users.
An online course, webinar, or e-learning module that meets these criteria is as valid as anything delivered in person.
How the HCPC Evaluates CPD Activities
The HCPC's approach is notable for what it does not specify: there is no minimum hour requirement, no mandatory topic list, and no requirement for a particular proportion of formal versus informal learning. Instead, the HCPC uses its four standards as a qualitative framework.
This means that a well-chosen online course with genuine reflection attached can contribute more meaningfully to your portfolio than a full day of passive conference attendance. The HCPC wants to see that your CPD was purposeful, that you reflected on it, and that it connects to your practice.
For online CPD specifically, this means the quality of what you choose matters more than the platform or format. A rigorous e-learning module with assessment, evidence-based content, and clear learning objectives is a strong addition to your portfolio. A low-quality webinar you watched in the background is not.
Types of Online CPD That Work Well for Physiotherapists
On-demand courses offer the most flexibility. You complete them at your own pace, they typically include assessment, and they issue certificates on completion. For physiotherapy, the range of high-quality on-demand learning has expanded significantly — covering musculoskeletal assessment, neurological rehabilitation, pelvic health, respiratory care, paediatric physiotherapy, and many other specialisms.
Live webinars allow real-time engagement with a presenter and often include Q&A. For physiotherapists managing busy clinical schedules, the ability to attend a high-quality webinar from a clinical base or from home is significant. Many professional bodies and independent CPD providers run regular webinar series across clinical specialisms.
Journal clubs and recorded academic presentations are particularly relevant for physiotherapists with an interest in the evidence base of their practice. Watching a recorded lecture on the latest systematic review evidence in your clinical area, accompanied by your own notes and reflection, is solid CPD.
The Variety Requirement
One aspect of HCPC CPD that affects how you use online learning is the requirement for a mixture of activities. A portfolio consisting entirely of online courses — however excellent — does not demonstrate the varied engagement the HCPC expects. Online learning should sit alongside peer discussion, clinical reflection, supervision, reading, and other forms of professional development.
This is not a difficult standard to meet in practice. Most physiotherapists naturally engage in a mix of activities throughout the year. The key is to document them.
Documenting Online CPD for Your HCPC Portfolio
For each online course or webinar, your portfolio entry should include the name of the course and provider, the date completed, the time invested, your certificate of completion, and a reflection that connects the learning to your practice. The reflection is not a summary of the course — it is your response to it. What did you take from it? What, if anything, will you do differently as a result?
Reflections do not need to be long. A paragraph that is specific and genuine is worth more than a page of vague generalities.
A Note on Accreditation
When choosing online CPD providers, independent accreditation is a useful quality indicator. ManualCPD is accredited through The CPD Group (Provider #788442), an independent accreditation body that assesses course content against established standards. Courses from independently accredited providers come with certificates that clearly reference the accrediting body, which adds clarity to your portfolio documentation.