Peer consultation for psychologists: how it counts toward PsyBA CPD

If you're a registered psychologist in Australia, peer consultation is a non-negotiable part of your annual CPD. The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) requires a minimum number of peer-consultation hours every registration year, on top of your general CPD hours. It's the one CPD activity you can't substitute with self-directed reading or a webinar.

Here's the shape of it.

What is peer consultation?

PsyBA defines peer consultation as a planned, intentional conversation with another psychologist about your professional practice. The other party must be a registered psychologist (or someone with equivalent professional credentials, in defined circumstances). The discussion must focus on your work — case material, ethical questions, professional development, or systemic issues affecting your practice.

It is not:

• Informal corridor chats about work
• Supervision you receive as part of a training program (that's its own category)
• Casual case discussion at lunch without any structure
• A peer review of your written work alone (closer, but typically logged as RP rather than peer consultation)

The distinguishing features are: planned (you set time aside for it), psychology-focused (it's about your work, not general chitchat), and reciprocal or structured (you both come prepared with something to discuss).

How much is required

PsyBA's standard requires a minimum number of hours of peer consultation per registration year. The total counts toward your overall CPD hours, but it has its own minimum — the broader CPD requirement doesn't substitute for peer consultation. Check the PsyBA registration standards page for current numbers; they have shifted between cycles.

Acceptable formats

• One-on-one with a psychologist colleague. Most common. Schedule monthly or fortnightly — 60-minute slots work well.
• Small peer-consultation group. Three or four psychologists who meet regularly. Each meeting counts for everyone present.
• Virtual / telehealth peer consultation. PsyBA accepts videoconferenced peer consultation provided the structure is the same. Useful for rural or specialised psychologists who can't easily find local peers in their area of practice.
• Cross-disciplinary consultation, in defined circumstances. Some psychologists in specialised contexts (e.g. forensic, neuropsychology) need consultation with non-psychology specialists. Check whether your specific scenario qualifies before assuming it counts.

What records you need

PsyBA may ask to see the following at audit:

• Date and duration
• Who the peer consultation was with (their name and registration type — the peer must be identifiable, but you don't need to disclose anyone else's data)
• The general topic discussed (clinical area, ethical issue, etc.)
• A reflection: what you took away, what you'll do differently

PracticaCPD lets you log a peer-consultation entry like any other activity — date, duration, peer name and registration type, topic, reflection. The dashboard separately counts peer-consultation hours from general CPD hours so you can see whether you're meeting the standard's specific minimum.

Common mistakes

• Counting supervision you receive as peer consultation. They're different categories under PsyBA. Supervision (during a training program) is its own thing.
• Logging informal chats. "Met for coffee with another psychologist" isn't peer consultation. Structured, planned, work-focused.
• No reflection. PsyBA expects you to demonstrate learning. A line on what you took from the consultation is the minimum.

See also

• Active vs passive CPD: the PsyBA distinction explained
• Read the PsyBA's authoritative CPD guidance