Elmhurst CPD Requirements for DEAs and Course Providers

How many hours of CPD does your accreditation scheme require from members?

The Elmhurst scheme requires DEAs to undertake 10 hours of CPD study time per year.

Given that all first year DEAs will have spent considerable time training, qualifying and learning on-the-job, do they still need to complete their full CPD quota this year?

Yes, CPD is about both developing skills and keeping up to date. CPD activity is likely to be particularly valuable in the first year because a newly qualified DEA is inexperienced.

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Can your members attend courses given by external third-parties, or must they attend your own in-house offerings?

We are happy for scheme members to source study activity from elsewhere.

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Do CPD courses need to be pre-approved by your scheme to be recognised?

No, we do not require CPD courses to be pre-approved but we are willing to pre-approve courses if training companies approach us.

What guidance can you give to your members as to whether a course is worth attending, and how can they determine how much CPD credit you will award, before attending?

Our members should maintain a CPD plan outlining what areas of study they intend to undertake during the year. The courses they attend should cover the subject areas specified in their plan. It is up to each member to honestly record the number of hours of learning activity undertaken.

Are there any advertising guidelines that course providers should adhere to and DEAs should look out for to ensure the course is legitimate? For instance: should the advertisement quote something like: "This course is approved by Quidos"; "This course awards 3 CPD credits" etc...)?

DEAs must use their own judgment to select study activities from reputable suppliers on subjects relevant to their individual CPD plans. 

Is there a cost for submitting course material for review?

We will charge an administration fee to cover our costs if training providers wish to formally submit training proposals for "Elmhurst Approval". 

How long does the review take?

We expect to be able to approve courses within a few working days.

Do you advise how much CPD credit will be awarded (if you approve the course)?

No, each DEA must honestly record their CPD hours. 

Who should course providers contact to submit their proposed material?

Email: deatraining@elmhurstenergy.co.uk

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Are you particularly focused on a particular range of topics DEAs can study, or would you consider periphery subjects like business development, accounting, and internet marketing, for example?

We accept that the subject matter of CPD can be outside the purely technical aspects of energy assessment, to include wider professional development. However the CPD plan must provide balance and should not be all business or soft skill focused. DEAs need to exercise common sense when formulating their CPD plans.

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Would you support an open standard amongst accreditation schemes whereby a course acceptable to one, would be acceptable to all?

This suggestion has merit but we would be wary of entering into bureaucratic approval systems as we foresee that different schemes will have differing views.

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We will be monitoring the CPD activity of our members and, while we have a flexible approach, we will challenge a member's CPD record if it appears to be incomplete, insubstantial or irrelevant.

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