Choosing older-person care CPD starts with the question you need to answer. A focused delirium refresher, a broader frailty course and a programme for a developing service role can all be worthwhile. They involve different commitments and should be selected for a specific purpose.
This guide compares two available routes: Delirium Academy and British Geriatrics Society learning. Prices and access were checked on 9 November 2026. It is a comparison of published course information, without hands-on assessment of teaching quality or claims that one provider produces better clinical outcomes.
Define the learning need before choosing the format
Try completing this sentence: “After this learning, I want to be better able to explain, assess or discuss…” A useful answer identifies a task. “Older people” is a subject area; “discuss my uncertainty about a delirium assessment with a supervisor” is a learning goal.
Keep frailty and delirium visible as separate subjects when reviewing a syllabus. A course title containing both older age and a CPD award does not establish that it covers the question you have in mind. Read the module headings before deciding how much study time to reserve.
For example, a clinician joining an unfamiliar ward might choose an introductory topic before arranging a case discussion. Someone preparing a wider development plan might need a sustained course. These are illustrative choices, not prescribed training pathways.
What Delirium Academy offers
Delirium Academy provides free learning without an account. Its introductory Delirium in 30 takes about 30 minutes; further topics include triggers, distress, communication, persistent delirium and 4AT scoring. Professor Alasdair MacLullich clinically leads the site. Completion certificates are available, but the provider explicitly distinguishes them from formal CPD accreditation and assessment of clinical competence. Save the certificate before leaving the course.
For course selection, the appeal is a small, defined starting commitment. Decide beforehand what you will do if the material exposes a larger gap. That might mean further reading, a discussion with an experienced colleague or a more extensive programme. A short activity can be the beginning of a development plan without being made to carry every learning objective.
What the BGS route adds to the comparison
The BGS eLearning catalogue lists Frailty, Delirium, Oncogeriatrics and Continence courses, each carrying 10 RCP London CPD credits/hours. Courses are included for BGS members and cost £150 each for non-members. The frailty course stopped being free to everyone after 30 June 2026. Some early-career groups, including foundation doctors, qualify for free membership. Passing the modules and completing the feedback survey triggers the certificate.
Before paying, check your membership category and the exact syllabus. Then consider whether the longer activity fits your available study time. A course can be accessible indefinitely and still benefit from a realistic plan for finishing it.
The relevant comparison is the learning commitment you want to make. An assessed programme may suit someone seeking a structured sequence. A clinician with one narrow uncertainty may prefer to start with a focused activity and reassess what remains.
Build a useful next step into the booking decision
Write down three things before starting: your current uncertainty, the part of your work it affects and an action you can take after studying. This creates a way to judge usefulness beyond whether a certificate appears.
An illustrative plan might be: complete the selected learning, discuss one anonymised case with a supervisor and identify whether further supervised practice is needed. The discussion should test your understanding, not simply confirm attendance.
When recording the activity, distinguish what you read from what you subsequently did. A course may have clarified your reasoning without yet changing a clinical process. That is a legitimate learning account. For external-course learning, the free reflection template can help structure your own account. If a relevant knowledge question remains, iatroX CPD offers separate question-based follow-up with its own record for you to review.
Frequently asked questions
Is BGS frailty learning still free to everyone? No. The published universal-free period ended in June 2026. Check current membership eligibility before purchasing access.
Does a completion certificate prove clinical competence? It records the learning requirements specified by its provider. Competence for a clinical task also needs the relevant workplace evidence, supervision and assessment.
Should I choose the course with the most credits? Choose the syllabus and format that answer your learning need. Credits describe an educational offer; they do not establish its relevance to your next consultation or placement.
References
- British Geriatrics Society: eLearning catalogue and FAQs
- Delirium Academy: learning routes and certificate information