Continuing Professional Development: rhetoric and practice in the NHS

Introduction The aim of this article is to discuss Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in the context of the NHS in the UK. CPD as a process is seen as a major mechanism on the agenda of reform in the NHS and therefore exploring the question of how CPD is perceived by staff can provide insights into the changing dynamics of the employment relationship in particular staffing and professionalism. The data presented in this article is derived from two related studies based on employment relations in NHS Wales from which the findings relevant to CPD are highlighted. The studies consisted of an initial, widely focused, quantitative stage, and a second more in-depth qualitative phase. The population researched for both studies focussed upon frontline clinical supervisors. This group were seen as a key group of professionals who operate in the front line delivery of health care services and who are pivotal in the enactment of NHS policy.