Pilots
The RCGP is undertaking several pilot projects
to ensure that the process of collecting supporting information for
revalidation is workable for all GPs.
These pilots focus on the suitability of the proposed supporting
information and the feasibility of collection methods for GPs in
all employment circumstances. The pilots also explore the
feasibility of using other types of supporting information, such as
prescribing indicators, and examine the need for other support
tools.
The following pilots have been completed and are available to
download:
Defence Medical Services Pilot
The DMS & FCO GP Revalidation Pilot aimed to explore whether
the RCGP’s requirements for supporting information, defined in the
RCGP’s ‘Guide to the Revalidation of General Practitioners’ are
realistic, proportionate and achievable for GPs working within the
DMS & FCO’s non-NHS managed healthcare systems. It also aimed
to explore the challenges associated with collating the supporting
information required for GP revalidation within a Pilot electronic
portfolio (e-portfolio) provided by the Department of Health
(England). The pilot ran between September 2010 and March 2011, and
the final report can be read
here.
Suitability and Assessment of Information and the Feasibility
of Collection Methods
The pilot project on suitability and assessment of information
and the feasibility of collection methods was led by the University
of Warwick. It covered 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 pilot is
now complete and the final report can be read here.
Development and Evaluation of the RCGP Scotland nPEP Learning
Needs Assessment Tool
This pilot focused on a site in Tayside, Scotland and was run by
a Scottish consortium comprising RCGP Scotland, University Dundee
and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) - and led by NES. The focus of
the pilot was the development and evaluation of the RCGP Scotland
nPEP learning needs assessment tool for use in revalidation. 63 GPs
were recruited as participants for this project, which was
part of a larger project funded by the Chief Scientist Office
(CSO) 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. The final report can be read
here.
Prescribing Indicators
The aim of the prescribing indicators pilot was 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 involved 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
was 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.
The final Phase 1 and Phase 2 project reports can be read
here.
Sessional and Locum Doctors
53 GPs participated in this pilot, run by a team based in the
Northern Deanery, which focused on Sessional GPs and GPs in
remote and rural settings. Its purpose was to examine the
feasibility of the collection of supporting information for these
groups. The final pilot report can be read here
.
Doctors in Hierarchical Organisations
The RCGP has commenced a pilot in association
with the Defence Medical Services (DMS) focusing specifically on
GPs within hierarchical organisations, particularly the three DMS
services – army, navy and air force. A small number of GPs who work
for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will also be
included. 60 participants have been recruited. The pilot will
complete in June 2011.
Doctors in Secure Environments
The RCGP has recruited a team including
members from Warwick Medical School and the University of
Birmingham to run a pilot for doctors who work in secure
environments such as prisons, youth offender institutions and
immigration removal centres. We are also working closely with the
Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM) to deliver this
project as it will include a sub-cohort of Forensic Physicians. The
pilot commenced in September 2010 and complete by the end of June
2011.
Specialty Guidance and Supporting Information for Appraisal
The RCGP is working as part of an Academy
consortium consisting of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA),
the Royal College of Physicians London (RCPL), the Royal College of
Physicians Edinburgh (RCPE) and the Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons Glasgow (RCPSG) to explore the implications of the
introduction of specialty specific elements into appraisal –
particularly any training needs for appraisers and ROs which might
result.,
The project team has analysed the specialty
submissions to the GMC from all Medical Royal Colleges and
Faculties. In addition to identifying 12 areas of supporting
information which are common to all Colleges and Faculties, it has
identified areas of supporting information which are specific to
individual or small groups of specialties. The project team
is currently exploring differences in interpretation of common
areas of supporting information. A set of common descriptors
have been identified and are currently being circulated to other
Colleges and Faculties for comment and input. The GMC and the
Academy recognise that the consortium’s work is making a valuable
contribution to efforts to streamline the specialty
frameworks.