You need to demonstrate competence in cardiopulmonary resuscitation at least once every 12 months according to Resuscitation Council UK–linked guidance used in UK clinical training and practice.

Quick Scoop

  • Most UK healthcare and primary care staff are expected to show hands-on CPR (and often AED) competence annually.
  • This is usually done through a face‑to‑face practical course with an instructor aligned to Resuscitation Council UK standards, not e‑learning alone.
  • Annual evidence of competence is now routine for GP trainees, many hospital staff, and general practices, and is checked as part of governance or appraisal processes.

In practical terms: if you are working in a clinical setting that follows Resuscitation Council UK guidance, plan to update and evidence your CPR competence every year.

Small but important nuance

  • Some organisations may tighten this further (for example, high‑risk units, resuscitation team members) or integrate it into local mandatory training cycles, but they still use “at least annually” as the baseline expectation.
  • For GP trainees, official guidance explicitly states that evidence of competence in CPR and AED must be provided every 12 months , and this is framed around Resuscitation Council–approved training.

TL;DR: Under UK practice built on Resuscitation Council UK guidance, you should demonstrate CPR competence every 12 months via a practical, instructor‑assessed update. ✅

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.