Comparing regulatory guidance on Continued Professional Development: A thematic analysis of CPD documents from the UK General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and General Medical Council (GMC).

Introduction.
Lifelong learning and education are foundational to healthcare professions, evolving into the structured field of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) throughout the 20th century. This study explores the intersection of lifelong learning and CPD by thematically analysing two regulatory documents in the UK: Continued Professional Development (GCC, 2023) and Continued Professional Development: Guidance for All Doctors (GMC, 2012). The aim is to identify similarities and differences in guidance provided to two distinct health professions and their implications for professional practice in chiropractic.
Methods.
Braun and Clarke’s (2006) Reflective Thematic Analysis (RTA) was employed. The analysis involved six stages: familiarisation with the data, initial code generation, theme development, review, naming, and reporting. Both documents were systematically coded for semantic and latent themes using an inductive, constructivist approach before themes were developed. Reflexivity and cross-document comparison enhanced the rigor and validity of the study.
Results.
Key themes were identified within each document which led to considerations around those themes such as: CPD as a process, CPD as a learning journey, impact verses process and the underlying tone of the guidance. These findings were discussed in the context of them influencing how professionals, particularly chiropractors, may engage with CPD.
Conclusion.
These supportive documents focused on different areas of potential impact with the GCC document reducing guidance to more procedural factors and the GMC document more aligned to principles of lifelong learning and meaningful engagement. The study highlights the need to balance CPD policies that integrate process accountability with professional growth and development.