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Pilots

The RCGP is undertaking several pilot projects to ensure that the evidence collection process for revalidation is workable for all.

These will look at the suitability of proposed evidence and the feasibility of collection methods for GPs in all employment circumstances. They will also explore the feasibility of using other types of evidence, for example prescribing indicators, and the need for other support tools.

Suitability and Assessment of Evidence and the Feasibility of Collection Methods

The pilot project on suitability and assessment of evidence and the feasibility of collection methods is being led by the University of Warwick. It will cover three health economies, two in England, Heart of Birmingham Primary Care Trust and Solihull Care Trust; and one in Wales, Vale of Glamorgan Local Health Board. The recruitment phase of the pilot is now complete and 90% of the recruited GPs are actively collecting information as part of the next stages of the project. 

Development and Evaluation of the RCGP Scotland nPEP Learning Needs Assessment Tool

Focused on a site in Tayside, Scotland this pilot is being run by a Scottish consortium comprising RCGP Scotland, University Dundee and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) - and led by NES. This pilot is progressing well and to target. The focus is the development and evaluation of the RCGP Scotland nPEP learning needs assessment tool for use in revalidation. This pilot is part of a larger funding bid to Chief Scientist Office Scotland. Funding for related pilot work that will also offer valuable information has also been provided by NES via Scottish GP Appraisal, and NHS Tayside. 

There are 63 GPs recruited to complete the pilot with the majority of them having completed the first blue-printing exercise and over half of them having completed the Multi Source Feedback and Patient Survey Questionnaire requirement. 50% of GPs will be appraised by their usual appraiser and the remaining 50% will be appraised by a group of specialist doctors with experience in appraisal. This alternate method will be beneficial to the pilot.

Prescribing Indicators

The prescribing indicators pilot aims to develop and test a set of standards for prescribing indicators that can be used to efficiently and accurately evaluate one aspect of a GP’s performance, which may in time form an important part of the overall revalidation process.

This work involves reviewing the world literature on prescribing indicators and developing a set that may be potentially useful for GPs in the UK. In order to ensure that the final set of indicators is considered valid by general practitioners we established a Consensus Panel of 12 GPs to help us decide which of the indicators would be most suitable for possible revalidation evidence.

Sessional Doctors

Sessional doctors are believed to constitute over a third of the general practitioner workforce. The RCGP will be running a pilot focussed solely on these GPs and those in small, remote practices. It is expected that work will commence on the pilot in October 2009 with delivery of final results in April 2010.

Doctors in Hierarchical Organisations

The RCGP is currently scoping a pilot in association with the Defence Medical Services focussed specifically on GPs within hierarchical organisations and will include 50-60 individuals. 

It is anticipated that the pilot projects will run for seven months, from October 2009, with final reports required by the end of April 2010.

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