Appraisal
The purpose of Appraisal is to enable all GPs to
continuously improve the quality of their practice and to assist in
the early identification of doctors in difficulty, so that they can
be offered appropriate support.
Background
Appraisal will support and inform Revalidation. Accordingly,
the GP appraisal process is being developed, delivered and
resourced to meet UK regulatory requirements for Revalidation.
"The appraisal process, which will be
a central component of Revalidation, should be both formative and
summative to ensure that the required standards
are met".
Trust Assurance and Safety, February
2007
Appraisal should enable all GPs to demonstrate
through the collection of a single portfolio of evidence (including
evidence of Continuing Professional Development), that they
meet the required standards for Revalidation.
Appraisal Key Documents
A strategy paper ‘Principles
of GP Appraisal’, which sets out a policy and principles to
underpin the appraisal process for General Practitioners working in
the national health systems of the four countries of the UK, was
endorsed by the RCGP Council on 29th February 2008.
In September 2008, a Joint
RCGP/ CoGPED Position Statement was released which included the
following key recommendations on appraisal in England:
- Provision and accountability of GP appraisal
should remain a PCT responsibility.
- Employment and management of local appraisers
should be developed locally to a common national model and
remuneration
- Strategy and local standards should be
developed by Postgraduate Deaneries with engagement of the PCTs,
public and local stakeholders.
- Deaneries should be charged with ensuring a
cost-effective process sufficient for the needs of the patients,
service, professionals and of a combined revalidation process.
Making
Judgements at Appraisal describes how the role of appraisers
within the Revalidation process can remain developmental.
Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Development of your PDP is a central part of the appraisal
process. The content will set your learning agenda for the coming
year and should facilitate reflective practice. A paper
'Personal
Development Plan Guidance for Appraisers' which provides
guidance to appraisers on how to advise their appraisees on
PDP construction was endorsed by the RCGP Council on 14th June
2008.
Quality Assurance of Appraisal
The RCGP, in partnership with GMC, will set the standards for
external quality assurance of appraisal to ensure that appraisal is
fit for the purposes of Revalidation.
A paper entitled 'Core Information
for Quality Assurance of GP Appraisal' was endorsed by Council
in November 2008. The paper sets out the consensus view from across
the UK on the development of common quality assurance standards of
appraisal. The next stage is the development of standards and
quality assurance of RCGP Accredited Appraiser Training and support
systems for the appraisal process.