CPD Accreditation
Framework
Westbridge accreditation is a voluntary, independent and non-statutory quality review. It is not UKAS accreditation, Ofqual recognition, a regulated qualification or government approval, and it does not guarantee acceptance by any employer, regulator, insurer or professional body.
What's inside
Fourteen sections set out the terminology, criteria, evidence and controls Westbridge uses when it reviews training providers and CPD activities. The documents are written to be read together.
One framework, five documents
Each document addresses a different part of the framework and avoids reliance on broad or undefined quality claims. Together they explain what an applicant must demonstrate, how it is judged, and how a status is managed.
The Standard
The substantive quality criteria applied to providers and learning activities.
Evidence & Records
The evidence expected and the records retained to support a decision.
Assessment Procedure
The stages of application, review, clarification, decision and issue.
Status & Appeals
Validity, monitoring, sanctions and the right to be reviewed again.
Terminology
Precise meaning of key terms and the boundaries of the scheme.
The Standard states what an applicant is expected to demonstrate.
Evidence & Records states what information may be used to demonstrate compliance.
The Procedure states how that information is reviewed and how a decision is reached.
Status & Appeals states how a status is maintained, reviewed, suspended, withdrawn or appealed.
Terminology states what Westbridge means by CPD, standards and accreditation, and what those terms do not mean.
A voluntary, independent review
Westbridge accreditation identifies that specified evidence has been reviewed against the Standard and that the provider or activity has been approved within the scope stated on the accreditation record. It is a private scheme, applied consistently and proportionately.
- A voluntary, independent, non-statutory quality review of a named provider or activity.
- Confirmation that documented criteria were applied to real evidence, within a defined scope.
- A time-limited approval, subject to continued compliance and monitoring.
- A structured, repeatable framework that allows proportionate professional judgement.
- Not UKAS accreditation; Westbridge is not the UK national accreditation body.
- Not Ofqual recognition, and it does not convert a course into a regulated qualification.
- Not government, statutory, professional-body or insurer approval.
- Not a guarantee of employment, registration, insurance or acceptance by any third party.
Six principles behind every decision
These principles keep reviews consistent and evidence-based while allowing judgement to be applied proportionately to the scope, complexity and potential impact of each activity.
Independence
Decisions are made without improper commercial influence, with conflicts of interest identified and managed.
Evidence
Objective claims and approval decisions are supported by current, relevant and traceable information.
Proportionality
The depth of review matches the scope, complexity and potential impact of the activity.
Consistency
Comparable applications are assessed against the same core criteria and decision categories.
Transparency
Applicants are told the scope of review, any material deficiencies and the outcome of the decision.
Continuous improvement
Approved providers monitor learner experience and review materials when content, law, practice or evidence changes.
Provider requirements
Eight organisational controls a provider is expected to demonstrate. They establish who is delivering the learning, that responsibility is assigned, that the people are competent, and that quality, information, records and complaints are handled properly.
Who delivers it
Verifiable identity, assigned responsibility, and competent trainers and authors.
4.1 - 4.3How it runs
Proportionate quality assurance and accurate learner information.
4.4 - 4.5How it is governed
Ethical operation, sufficient records, and a route for complaints.
4.6 - 4.8Explore each provider control
Select any control to see the requirement and the kinds of evidence that may support it under WCI-EVD-01.
What each learning activity must show
These requirements apply to each specific course, seminar, workshop, webinar or programme - separately from the provider-level controls. Select a requirement to see what it means and the evidence that may support it.
Uploaded is not the same as accepted
Evidence is weighed against six principles and applied proportionately to the scope and risk of the activity. An item is not accepted merely because it is submitted.
The evidence directly addresses the criterion or claim being considered.
There is a reasonable basis to believe it is genuine and attributable to the applicant.
It reflects the present course, provider, personnel and delivery arrangements.
Taken together, it is detailed enough to support the decision.
Important evidence links to a source, date, version, person or record.
The amount and depth are appropriate to the activity and its potential impact.
Normally insufficient on its own
- Marketing statements or website claims without underlying records.
- A declaration that standards are met, without supporting detail.
- A certificate or badge the applicant has issued to itself.
- Unverified testimonials, star ratings or general satisfaction comments.
- CPD hours based only on video length or page count, with no learning-time calculation.
- Generic policies that do not reflect the provider's actual process.
Records & retention
Westbridge retains enough to explain what was assessed, what evidence was considered, who decided, the outcome, the approved scope and any conditions.
- Application, declarations and scope information.
- Material evidence or a secure reference to where it is stored.
- Assessment notes, decision rationale and conditions.
- Certificate, registry entry and validity dates.
- Correspondence, complaints, monitoring and appeal records.
Accreditation records are normally kept for six years after expiry or withdrawal, and personal data is limited to what is necessary and handled under applicable data protection requirements.
From application to decision
Every review follows the same stages to produce a clear audit trail linking the application, the evidence, the criteria and the decision. Select a stage to see what happens.
Five possible outcomes
Every review ends in one recorded outcome. A positive decision is never based solely on payment, reputation or an applicant's own unsupported statement - the decision record identifies the criteria and evidence relied upon.
The evidence is sufficient and no material non-conformity prevents approval.
Approval is granted with specified actions, restrictions or follow-up evidence required by a stated date.
A decision is deferred because evidence is incomplete, unclear or inconsistent.
One or more material requirements are not met, or the evidence is insufficient to support approval.
An existing status is paused or ended under WCI-GOV-01 when compliance is not maintained.
Accreditation is maintained, not just granted
Unless a different period is stated, accreditation is normally valid for 12 months and is subject to continued compliance. It is valid only for the entity and scope shown on the certificate or registry entry.
Provider responsibilities
- Maintain the requirements of the Standard throughout the validity period.
- Notify Westbridge of material changes to identity, people, content, delivery, assessment or public claims.
- Use the badge, number and wording only for the approved scope.
- Keep learner and certificate records sufficient for reasonable verification.
- Cooperate with proportionate monitoring or complaint investigation.
What can trigger a review
- Routine renewal or periodic reassessment.
- A material change notified by the provider.
- A credible complaint or external information.
- Potential misuse of the badge or accreditation number.
- Apparent inconsistency between approved scope and public claims.
- Evidence of plagiarism, unsafe content or false certificates.
Used where a limited issue can be corrected without suspending the status.
Temporarily pauses the status while evidence is reviewed or corrective action is completed.
Removes a course, delivery method, location or other part of the approved scope.
Ends accreditation for a serious or unresolved non-conformity, materially false information, or badge misuse.
Concerns and challenges have a route
A complaint may concern an accredited provider or activity, certificate use, public claims or Westbridge's own administration. Anyone affected by a decision may ask for it to be looked at again.
How a complaint is handled
- Westbridge acknowledges the complaint and decides whether it is in scope.
- Relevant evidence is gathered and the provider may be invited to respond.
- Findings and any action taken are recorded.
- Confidential or legally restricted information is not disclosed merely because a complaint was made.
Reconsideration & appeals
- An applicant or provider may request reconsideration of a refusal, condition, suspension, scope reduction or withdrawal.
- A request should normally be made within 14 calendar days, identifying the decision, the reasons and any new or overlooked evidence.
- Where practicable, the appeal is reviewed by someone who did not make the original final decision.
- The outcome may confirm, vary or overturn the decision, or request further evidence, and is recorded in writing.
Key terms, precisely
Definitions are written to prevent ambiguous wording and to distinguish private CPD review from statutory regulation, regulated qualifications and UK national accreditation infrastructure.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Structured or unstructured learning undertaken to maintain, improve or broaden professional knowledge, skills, understanding or capability.
- Provider approval
- A decision that a named provider has demonstrated the organisational controls required by the framework. It does not automatically approve every course.
- Course or programme accreditation
- A decision that a named, identifiable learning activity has been reviewed against the applicable criteria within a defined scope.
- CPD hour
- An estimate or record of genuine learning time. It excludes breaks, sales activity and purely administrative time.
- Certificate
- A document confirming provider status, course status, attendance, completion or another clearly stated fact. It is not automatically a regulated qualification certificate.
- Recognition by Westbridge
- Approval or acknowledgement granted by Westbridge within its own independent scheme - not external endorsement.
Say what is true, and no more
Approved providers should describe their status accurately. Public wording should identify the Westbridge standard by name rather than imply unspecified external recognition.
- "Government approved", "officially regulated" or "statutory accreditation".
- "UKAS accredited", or wording likely to imply UKAS status.
- "Ofqual recognised" or "regulated qualification" where that is not independently true.
- "Internationally recognised", "globally approved" or "recognised worldwide" without robust evidence of who recognises it and on what basis.
- "Accepted by all employers", "accepted by insurers" or "guaranteed professional recognition".
- Claims to be the leading, largest or official CPD body without verifiable comparative evidence.
These boundaries follow the meanings set out in the Terminology Statement and the CAP Code requirements on misleading advertising and substantiation. Listing a public source clarifies terminology only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation.
Ready to apply for review?
Submit your organisation or a specific course for a structured review against the Westbridge CPD Accreditation Standard, and, where the evidence is sufficient, join the public register.
Handbook v1.0 · Issued July 2026 · External issue · Reviewed at least annually. This document does not claim statutory, governmental, UKAS or Ofqual status.