Free CPD for UK doctors 2026: complete guide to RCGP, RCP, BMJ, and AI-powered options

Key takeaways

The GMC requires all licensed doctors to undertake CPD as part of the five-year revalidation cycle. There is no mandatory credit target, but you must demonstrate meaningful, reflective engagement across your scope of practice.
There is a vast amount of genuinely free CPD available to UK doctors — far more than most clinicians realise. The challenge is not access; it is curation, workflow, and reflection.
RCGP members get access to 120+ hours/year of free live conferences (One Day Essentials), free Essential Knowledge Updates, and the full eLearning suite.
NHS staff get free access to e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH), the NHS Learning Hub, and (via NHS OpenAthens) subscription resources like BMJ Best Practice and selected journal databases.
AI-powered CPD tools — including iatroX, Praktiki, and Medscape Education — are changing the game by turning daily clinical questions into logged, reflective CPD evidence without the administrative overhead.
This guide organises every major free CPD resource by: (1) Royal College / specialty, (2) career stage, and (3) learning format — so you can build a personalised CPD workflow in 10 minutes.

What the GMC actually requires

Before diving into the resources, it is worth clarifying what the GMC expects — because there is widespread confusion about this.

The GMC's Good Medical Practice framework requires all licensed doctors to keep their knowledge and skills up to date through CPD. The key points:

No mandatory credit number. Unlike some international systems, the GMC does not specify a fixed number of CPD hours or credits per year. It expects you to undertake CPD that is relevant to your practice, reflective, and evidenced.
Revalidation is the checkpoint. Every five years, your Responsible Officer reviews your CPD portfolio as part of revalidation. The quality of your reflections matters more than the volume of certificates.
Breadth matters. The GMC expects CPD across your whole scope of practice — not just your clinical interest area. If you prescribe, you should have prescribing-related CPD. If you supervise, you should have educational CPD. If you lead, you should have leadership CPD.
Royal Colleges set their own expectations. While the GMC sets the overarching framework, individual Royal Colleges (RCGP, RCP, RCS, etc.) set more specific expectations for their members and fellows. These vary — check your college's CPD guidance.

The practical implication: you need a system, not a shopping list. The best CPD habit is one that is integrated into your clinical workflow, generates reflective evidence naturally, and covers your scope without requiring a separate administrative session every quarter.

The complete free CPD resource map

Tier 1: Universal (available to all UK doctors)

NHS e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH)

What it is: The largest free eLearning platform for NHS staff. Hundreds of programmes covering mandatory training (safeguarding, resuscitation, infection control), clinical topics (diabetes, dermatology, palliative care), and non-clinical skills (leadership, quality improvement, patient safety).

Cost: Free for all NHS health and social care staff. Register with your professional email at e-lfh.org.uk.

Best for: Mandatory and statutory training, structured clinical programmes, and evidence of systematic CPD for appraisal.

Tip: The e-GP programme (supported by the RCGP) within e-LfH is a hidden gem — it contains high-quality, regularly updated modules specifically designed for general practice.

NHS Learning Hub

What it is: A newer NHS platform that curates educational content from across the health system — including virtual ward training, Greener NHS modules, and content from Royal Colleges and HEE.

Cost: Free for NHS staff.

Best for: Finding content on newer NHS priorities (virtual wards, integrated care, digital transformation) that may not yet be covered by traditional eLearning platforms.

NHS OpenAthens

What it is: Not a CPD platform itself, but the authentication service that gives NHS staff free access to subscription journals and databases — including BMJ Best Practice, NICE Evidence Search, CINAHL, selected Elsevier journals, and more.

Cost: Free. Register at openathens.nice.org.uk.

Best for: Accessing full-text journal articles and clinical reference tools that would otherwise cost hundreds of pounds per year. If you are not using your OpenAthens login, you are leaving significant value on the table.

Tip: Pair OpenAthens with iatroX — use iatroX to find the guideline answer quickly, then OpenAthens to access the primary research behind it.

Medscape Education

What it is: A vast, free library of CME/CE activities covering virtually every medical specialty. Medscape is US-based but its content is widely used by UK clinicians for self-directed CPD.

Cost: Free (registration required).

Best for: Broad-spectrum clinical updates, case challenges, and staying current with international developments. Particularly useful for hospital doctors and specialists.

Caveat: Medscape CPD is not automatically accredited by UK Royal Colleges. However, it is widely accepted as evidence of self-directed CPD if accompanied by a certificate and a reflective entry. Check with your appraiser.

MIMS Learning

What it is: Free CPD modules funded by pharmaceutical companies (clearly labelled as promotional or non-promotional). Covers a range of primary and secondary care topics.

Cost: Free at mimslearning.co.uk.

Best for: Quick, focused modules on specific clinical topics (e.g., cardiovascular risk, respiratory disease, diabetes). The pharma funding model means there is always fresh content being produced.

Caveat: Be aware of the funding source for each module. Non-promotional content is clearly labelled and is generally high quality. Promotional content should be treated with appropriate critical appraisal.

PubMed Clinical Queries

What it is: PubMed's built-in filter for clinically relevant evidence. Use "Clinical Queries" to find systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, and high-quality studies without wading through basic science.

Cost: Free at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Best for: Answering specific clinical questions with primary research. Pair with a reflection to generate evidence-based CPD.

Tier 2: Royal College-specific

RCGP eLearning (General Practice)

What it is: The RCGP's comprehensive online learning environment, including the Essential Knowledge Updates (EKU), Essential Knowledge Challenges (EKC), and a wide range of clinical and non-clinical modules.

Cost: Free for RCGP members. Non-members can purchase individual modules or an annual subscription (from £149/year for the Essentials Renewal Plan).

Headline offering: One Day Essentials (ODE) — the RCGP delivers over 20 live, full-day online conferences per year, providing 120+ hours of free CPD for members. Topics cover the full GP curriculum: cardiology, gastroenterology, women's health, mental health, neurodevelopmental health, pain management, sexual health, and more. If you cannot attend live, REWIND makes all recordings and slides available for up to nine months afterwards.

Best for: GPs and GP trainees. The EKU/EKC programme is specifically designed for revalidation and aligns directly with the GP curriculum.

Tip: Combine RCGP eLearning with iatroX Quiz — use the RCGP module to learn the content, then use iatroX's adaptive quiz engine to test and reinforce retention. The two tools are complementary, not competitive.

RCP eLearning (Physicians / Internal Medicine)

What it is: The Royal College of Physicians offers eLearning modules, webinars, and clinical resources. Selected content is free; some requires membership or purchase.

Cost: Variable. Some free content available; broader access for RCP members.

Best for: Physician trainees, consultants, and SAS doctors in internal medicine and medical specialties. MRCP preparation resources overlap with clinical CPD.

RCS (Surgical Colleges)

What it is: The Royal Colleges of Surgeons (England, Edinburgh, Glasgow) each offer online learning resources. Free content is more limited than for GPs but includes selected webinars, case discussions, and guidelines.

Best for: Surgical trainees and SAS surgeons. Check your specific college's learning platform.

RCPCH, RCOG, RCPsych, RCEM, and specialty colleges

Each specialty Royal College offers its own eLearning platform with a mix of free and paid content. The pattern is broadly similar: membership unlocks more, but there is always some free content available. The most useful free resources tend to be:

Recorded webinars and conference sessions
Clinical guidelines and standards documents (which can be logged as CPD if accompanied by reflection)
Newsletters and podcasts

Tier 3: AI-powered CPD tools (the 2026 game-changers)

This is where the CPD landscape is changing most rapidly. AI tools do not replace traditional eLearning — they make the daily act of clinical practice into a CPD-generating activity.

iatroX — clinical Q&A, adaptive quizzes, and CPD reflection

iatroX is a free, MHRA-registered clinical AI platform designed for UK clinicians and students. It is not a traditional eLearning platform — it is a clinical workflow tool that generates CPD evidence as a byproduct of daily use.

How it works for CPD:

Ask iatroX: Ask a clinical question during or after a consultation. Get an evidence-based, cited answer grounded in NICE, CKS, SIGN, and BNF guidelines. This is a learning event — a clinical question that arose from practice, researched and answered.
iatroX Quiz: Adaptive, curriculum-mapped question banks for UKMLA, MRCGP AKT, MRCP, MSRA, PSA, PANE, and more. Use spaced repetition to reinforce knowledge over time. Each quiz session can be logged as CPD.
Brainstorm: AI-assisted differential diagnosis and clinical reasoning practice, grounded in UK guidelines. Use it to pressure-test a clinical plan or explore a case. This generates reflective CPD evidence.
CPD reflection and export: iatroX allows you to take any query, write a brief reflection, and export a clean PDF for your appraisal portfolio. This closes the loop from clinical question → learning → reflection → evidence — in under two minutes.

Cost: Free for all clinicians and students. No professional verification required. Available on web, iOS, and Android.

Why it matters for CPD: The GMC values CPD that arises from clinical practice and leads to reflective learning. iatroX turns the clinical questions you are already asking into structured, evidenced CPD — without requiring you to set aside separate study time.

Praktiki — microlearning for daily clinical updates

What it is: A mobile app that delivers daily, bite-sized clinical updates (5-minute reads) covering UK-relevant topics. Designed for the "morning commute" learning pattern.

Cost: Free.

Best for: Building a daily microlearning habit. Particularly useful for GPs and primary care clinicians who want to stay current without committing to full eLearning modules.

MedAll — live medical education events

What it is: A platform that aggregates live and on-demand medical education events — webinars, conferences, and workshops — from across the UK and internationally.

Cost: Many events are free; some require registration or payment.

Best for: Participatory CPD (attending live sessions, asking questions, engaging with speakers). This type of CPD is particularly valued by appraisers because it demonstrates active engagement rather than passive consumption.

Building your 2026 CPD workflow: a practical framework

The best CPD system is the one you actually use. Here is a framework that balances daily micro-activity with quarterly deep dives, using only free tools:

Daily (5 minutes)

Tool: iatroX or Praktiki

Activity: Answer one clinical question that arose during your day using Ask iatroX. Or read one Praktiki update. If the answer changes your practice, write a one-sentence reflection. If it does not, move on — not every question is a CPD event.

CPD output: Logged clinical queries with optional reflections, exportable for appraisal.

Weekly (20 minutes)

Tool: NHS e-LfH or RCGP eLearning

Activity: Complete one module that aligns with your Professional Development Plan (PDP). Prioritise modules that address gaps identified in your last appraisal, significant events, or patient complaints.

CPD output: Certificate + brief reflection.

Monthly (60 minutes)

Tool: MedAll (live event) or RCGP One Day Essentials (REWIND recording)

Activity: Attend or watch one live/recorded session. Take 2–3 notes on points that are relevant to your practice. Write a structured reflection: "What did I learn? What will I do differently?"

CPD output: Certificate of attendance + structured reflection.

Quarterly (2–3 hours)

Tool: BMJ Learning (via BMA membership or OpenAthens) or a Royal College course

Activity: Complete a longer, structured learning programme that maps to a specific PDP objective. This is the "deep work" session — choose something challenging that takes you outside your comfort zone.

CPD output: Certificate + detailed reflection + action plan.

As needed

Tool: iatroX Quiz

Activity: Use adaptive quizzes to reinforce clinical knowledge, particularly before exams (AKT, MRCP) or to address areas of weakness identified through significant events or complaints. Spaced repetition means the algorithm surfaces questions you are most likely to forget — maximising retention per minute spent.

CPD output: Quiz performance data + reflection on areas of weakness.

CPD for specific career stages

Foundation doctors (F1/F2)

Priority: Mandatory training (e-LfH), clinical competencies, and preparing for specialty applications.

Best free tools: e-LfH (mandatory), iatroX Quiz (PSA, UKMLA revision), and iatroX Brainstorm (clinical reasoning practice for workplace-based assessments).

GP trainees (ST1–ST3)

Priority: AKT preparation, SCA practice, and building an evidence-based portfolio for ARCP.

Best free tools: RCGP eLearning (EKU/EKC), e-LfH e-GP programme, iatroX Quiz for AKT, and Ask iatroX for clinical queries during clinics.

Established GPs

Priority: Revalidation, staying current with NICE updates, and addressing PDP goals.

Best free tools: RCGP One Day Essentials (120+ hours/year), iatroX for daily clinical Q&A and CPD logging, iatroX Knowledge Centre for guideline navigation, Praktiki for daily microlearning, and BMJ Learning (via BMA).

Locum GPs

Priority: Maintaining CPD without organisational support, GP appraisal, and demonstrating breadth of practice.

Best free tools: All of the above — locums have the same revalidation requirements as salaried and partner GPs but often lack the organisational CPD infrastructure. Self-serve tools like iatroX and Praktiki are particularly valuable because they do not depend on a practice or Trust providing access.

Hospital doctors and specialists

Priority: Specialty-specific updates, MRCP/MRCS/specialty exam preparation, and meeting Royal College CPD expectations.

Best free tools: Your Royal College eLearning platform, Medscape Education (for international breadth), NHS e-LfH (for mandatory training), and iatroX Quiz for MRCP or other postgraduate exams.

IMGs (International Medical Graduates)

Priority: UK-specific clinical knowledge, PLAB/UKMLA preparation, NHS orientation, and building a CPD portfolio from day one.

Best free tools: iatroX (UK-guideline-grounded clinical reference designed with IMGs in mind), e-LfH (NHS induction and mandatory training), and Medscape Education (for bridging international and UK practice).

The summary table: every free CPD resource at a glance

Resource	Cost	Best for	Accreditation	AI-powered?
NHS e-LfH	Free (NHS staff)	Mandatory training, structured programmes	Certificates available	No
NHS Learning Hub	Free (NHS staff)	Newer NHS priorities, curated content	Variable	No
NHS OpenAthens	Free (NHS staff)	Journal access, BMJ Best Practice	N/A (access tool)	No
RCGP eLearning	Free (members)	GP curriculum, EKU/EKC, One Day Essentials	RCGP-accredited CPD	No
RCGP One Day Essentials	Free (members)	120+ hours/year live conferences	RCGP-accredited CPD	No
RCP eLearning	Variable	Physician trainees and consultants	RCP-accredited	No
BMJ Learning	Free (BMA members) / selected free modules	Structured clinical modules	CPD-accredited	No
Medscape Education	Free (registration)	Broad clinical updates, case challenges	CME/CE (US); accepted for UK CPD with reflection	No
MIMS Learning	Free	Primary/secondary care clinical topics	CPD certificates	No
Praktiki	Free	Daily microlearning, clinical updates	Informal (log for CPD)	Partial
MedAll	Many events free	Live participatory CPD	Variable	No
PubMed Clinical Queries	Free	Evidence-based answer to clinical questions	N/A (self-directed)	No
iatroX	Free	Clinical Q&A, adaptive quizzes, brainstorm, CPD reflection and export	MHRA-registered; CPD export for appraisal	Yes

FAQs

How many CPD hours do I need per year?

The GMC does not specify a number. Most Royal Colleges recommend 50 CPD credits per year (RCGP) or equivalent. Focus on quality and relevance over quantity.

Does reading an article count as CPD?

Yes — if it is relevant to your practice and you reflect on it. A BMJ article on sepsis management counts if you document what you learned and how it might change your practice. Use iatroX's CPD reflection tool to log it in under two minutes.

Is Medscape accepted for UK revalidation?

Medscape CME certificates are not automatically RCGP-accredited, but they are widely accepted as evidence of self-directed CPD when accompanied by a reflective entry. Check with your appraiser.

Can AI-generated CPD evidence be used for appraisal?

Yes. The GMC expects evidence of learning — the source (AI tool, eLearning module, conference, article) matters less than the quality of reflection and the relevance to your practice. iatroX's CPD export generates a clean PDF showing the query, the source-cited answer, and your reflection — which is exactly what appraisers look for.

What is the best CPD tool for locum GPs?

Self-serve tools that do not depend on organisational access are essential. iatroX (free, no institutional login required), Praktiki (free mobile app), and Medscape Education (free registration) are all available to any UK-registered doctor regardless of employment status.