Focused Reflection on Safety and Quality in Clinical Practice (CPD 2025-2026)

For the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) year beginning on 1 September 2025 and ending on 31 August 2026, all registrants are required to complete a focused reflection on safety and quality in clinical practice.

For the 2025/26 CPD year, all registrants will be required to complete a focused reflection on Safety and Quality in clinical practice.

Chiropractors are expected to work towards a culture of safety - putting in place robust safety systems that seek to prevent harm before harm occurs. You are expected to recognise safety incidents and to understand the importance of transparent reporting to enable your own learning, and that of others, and to take action to reduce future similar risks. You are also expected to regularly consider, develop and improve the quality and the accessibility of the care you provide.

The themes of this year's focused reflection relate directly to the new themes within Principle B of the Code of Professional Practice:

The Code of Professional Practice - Principle B:

Principle B You must ensure safety and quality in clinical practice

Other Standards in the Code of Professional Practice that may be relevant include:

The Code of Professional Practice - Standard A6:

Standard A6 safeguard children and vulnerable adults by:

considering their safety and welfare;
assessing their vulnerability;
actively looking for signs of abuse.

When you suspect a child or vulnerable adult could be at risk of, or suffering, abuse or neglect, you must promptly follow the established local safeguarding arrangements to report your concern. You must record your suspicions and actions.

Our expectations for 2025/2026

As part of your CPD return for 2025/26, the information you submit to us must include self-reflection on your experience over the CPD year of preventing potential safety incidents, and reflection on the quality or accessibility of care being delivered by yourself or another healthcare provider. The reflective prompts have been designed to apply to a wide range of practice and we encourage you to use examples from your own individual experience (this could include from your personal life) that you believe are relevant.

You will be asked to consider:

1a) Describe a situation in the past year where you actively prevented a potential safety incident. This could have been by identifying a risk of harm, updating a process, or intervening early.

Your response to question 1a should:

Concisely describe a specific incident, focusing on your direct involvement or observation.
Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of the incident in relation to patient safety, risk management, or quality of care.
Reflect on the factors that led to the incident, including any early warning signs or risks that were identified.
Highlight your personal role in recognising, reporting, or addressing the incident, rather than focusing solely on team or organisational actions.

1b) Describe the changes you have put in place to mitigate against a similar incident in the future.

Your response to question 1b should:

Clearly outline the specific actions or changes you have implemented as a result of the incident.
Demonstrate a thoughtful approach to risk reduction, learning from experience, and improving practice.
Provide examples of how these changes have been integrated into daily routines or decision-making processes.
Focus on your individual responsibility and ongoing commitment to preventing recurrence, rather than relying solely on broader organisational changes.

2a) Think of a time in the past year when something made you pause and reflect on the quality or accessibility of care being delivered by yourself or another healthcare provider.

Your response to question 2a should:

Describe a specific situation or experience that prompted your reflection on care quality or accessibility.
Explain why the situation was significant and what aspects of care were called into question.
Demonstrate insight into the impact of the situation on patients, colleagues, or the respondent’s own practice.
Reflect on personal feelings, reactions, or lessons learned, emphasising individual growth and awareness.

2b) How will you review and improve the quality and accessibility of care you provide (for example, through feedback from patients, reporting incidents or other changes) and how will you ensure these improvements are sustained over time?

Your response to question 2b should:

Outline specific methods you use to review and enhance care quality and accessibility (e.g., seeking feedback, self-audit, incident reporting).
Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of continuous improvement and responsiveness to feedback.
Describe your strategies for ensuring that improvements are maintained over time, such as regular review, follow-up, or adapting to new evidence.
Emphasise your personal accountability for sustaining high standards, rather than relying solely on external audits or policies.

Throughout the CPD year we will be sharing resources that will assist you in reflecting on the focused reflection. Please keep returning to this page for the latest materials.