Standards for AfN CPD Endorsement

1. The learning activity must have clearly defined nutrition-based objectives and content that is clearly referenced to scientific evidence and/or professional practice.
2. The learning activity must maintain and extend UKVRN registrants’ knowledge and skills for lifelong professional competence.
3. The learning activity must be devised, managed and delivered by a person qualified and experienced in the field of the learning activity.
4. The learning activity and those developing/delivering the activity must do so in compliance with the UKVRN Standards of Ethics, Conduct and Performance 2021.
5. When the learning activity is provided cross-discipline, it must be clear that information/advice within this is suitable for UKVRN registrants and does not encourage activities outside of their scope of practice.
6. The learning activity must be relevant and useful to UKVRN registrants and be impartially delivered, reflecting current evidence. Where the learning activity is offered or funded by a commercial company, the provider must be able to demonstrate how the learning activity goes beyond commercial boundaries to address wider issues.
7. The learning activity must be open to all, irrespective of age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual orientation (Equality Act 2010). There should also be no discrimination on the grounds of social class or background.
8. Where courses require a prerequisite knowledge this will be stated and where relevant an explanation will be provided.
9. The learning activity must be evaluated by the provider and applicants should describe how this will be achieved. Applicants must undertake to collate this feedback and send AfN a summary sheet to provide on-going quality assurance and to inform future training needs.
10. The CPD Provider must provide an accurate description of the learning activity, which enables registrants to understand its focus and if it is aimed at a particular specialist area of practice.
11. The CPD Provider must match the main learning outcomes of the activity to the Core Competencies and/or Independent and Freelance Practice Standards.

The AfN Marketing rules and CPD Endorsement Terms & Conditions can be viewed here.

Procedures for AfN CPD Endorsement

1. Providers must complete the online application form, and submit:
   *   a Programme of the Event, activities learning objectives/slide deck/content, CV’s or biographies of the speakers,
   *   a copy of the course evaluation form to be completed by attendees,
   *   relevant endorsement fee.
   Applications can only be accepted if submitted via the online submission portal with supporting documents emailed in. Please note – the endorsement fee is non-refundable.
2. AfN will acknowledge receipt of an application within seven working days and will undertake an initial accuracy and completion check (although not a check of the nutrition content). AfN staff will ask for any identifiable missing or incomplete information.
3. An invoice for payment within 14 days will be issued.
4. Once payment has been received, applications will be assessed by an AfN CPD Assessor, and processed within 28 days (from date of payment receipt). Assessors may be required to ask AfN staff to obtain further clarification or information from the applicant on the organisation of the event, its content or its speakers in order to be able to make a final decision (although AfN will make every effort to keep within the 28 day processing time, this may be extended depending on the extent of information requested and the speed at which it is provided). A decision will be made to either endorse or not endorse the learning activity. The decision of AfN is final.
5. If the assessment decision is not to endorse the learning activity, full reasons for the decision will be provided to the applicant. The application can be resubmitted, however a new endorsement application fee will apply.
6. If the decision is to endorse the learning activity the provider may, in line with the AfN CPD Marketing Rules, use the AfN name and AfN CPD logo for marketing the learning activity. AfN will supply a unique numbered CPD Endorsement logo.
7. The provider must notify AfN of any changes to the learning activity. Minor changes will not require any additional fee. A substantive change (i.e. more than 25% of the learning activity) will require a new application for endorsement and a new endorsement fee will be charged.
8. Approval for repeated or continuous CPD will last twenty four months from the date of endorsement. At the end of this period, it is up to the CPD provider to renew their application.
9. AfN will publicise the approved learning activity on its website, its social media sites and via its regular e-newsletter to registrants.
10. The provider must ensure that AfN has the correct information, contact details and description of the learning activity and a weblink for its marketing information, and must inform AfN promptly of any changes to contact details.
11. The evaluation of the feedback should be provided to AfN within three months of the event.