MRCGP: information for deaneries, supervisors and trainers
Promoting Excellence for General Practice
The RCGP and COGPED are very pleased to announce the launch of the latest version of “Promoting Excellence for General Practice: Application of GMC Standards to GP Specialty Training”.
In January 2016, the GMC published ‘Promoting excellence: standards for medical education and training’. It sets out the standards all UK organisations responsible for training in all specialties must meet medical students, foundations, and trainees.
This guide, produced jointly by COGPED and the RCGP, provides specific guidance on GP specialty training, clarifying and expanding on the requirements of the GMC's "Promoting excellence: standards for medical education and training" in a GP context. It focuses on areas where there are significant differences between GP specialty training and training in other specialties, as well as on areas of risk in delivering high-quality GP specialty training. It also covers all years of the GP training programme and all the environments in which GP specialty training takes place, NHS and non-NHS, including OOH providers, in all parts of the UK.
This guide will be reviewed on an annual basis. The current version was released in July 2022.
- The definition of "Assessments" has been amended to include the RCA.
- The guidance for R1.18 has been amended to provide greater clarity.
- The supplementary guidance for R2.19 has been removed to reflect the changing legislative landscape.
We produce a range of resources for use by deaneries, supervisors and trainers involved in delivering GP training.
GMC requirements for assessors
The following table sets out how Local Education Providers (LEPs) can meet the requirements set out in the GMC’s “Excellence by Design”.
GMC Requirement | Details of requirement | Details of how the requirement can be met |
---|---|---|
CR 4.9 | As part of the programme of assessment, guidance must be provided about the nature, role and responsibilities of assessors and examiners. | LEPs must provide training in conducting workplace-based assessment and the roles and responsibilities of assessors. Extensive resources are available to support the delivery of such training on the RCGP website, in the WPBA section. |
CR 4.10 | Organisations must set out appropriate requirements and guidance to enable assessors and examiners to make professional judgements about learners’ performance and behaviour to an agreed standard. | GP trainee assessors must be trained in how to use the WPBA tools and be familiar with the GP curriculum. The WPBA section of the RCGP website contains all information required to support this training. GP trainee assessors should demonstrate familiarity with the capability descriptors and should also have opportunities to undertake calibration exercises with other GP trainee assessors. |
CR 4.12 | Organisations must make sure assessors and examiners are able to distinguish consistently between different levels of performance and behaviour. | Participation in benchmarking and calibration sessions at educational events should enable GP trainee assessors to demonstrate consistency in their assessments of capability across the breadth of workplace-based assessments. The LEP should highlight the capability descriptors included in the RCGP workplace-based assessments. This should be part of the initial and ongoing training. |
CR 4.13 | Organisations must indicate where professional development is required including on the equality and diversity issues that are relevant to their role as assessors and fair decision-making. | When applying to become a registered GP trainer and Educational Supervisor. All GP Educational Supervisors must demonstrate that they have completed training in equality, diversity, and inclusion. While serving as a GP trainer, regular updates should be made, typically with support from LEP-delivered educational activities. |
Differential attainment seminar
- Differential attainment seminar: Summary (PDF file, 287 KB)
- Download differential attainment seminar report
Hospital / non-primary care clinical supervisors
Standards for GP training
- GP Specialty Trainee (GPST) ePortfolio: Guidance for Satisfactory Progression at ARCP Panels (PDF file, 291 KB)
- Guidance for ARCP panels - Progress descriptors for the end of each training year (PDF file, 326 KB)
- WPBA core group statement to deaneries 2015
- Guidance for Deaneries on the Standards for GP Training 2020 (PDF file, 266 KB)
GP curriculum resources
Trainee portfolio resources
FishBase guidance
FishBase is the trainee and deanery management portal for the Trainee Portfolio.
Video guidance
Programme directors and ARCP members and chairs
The recorded webinars for these groups of users are available in FishBase. To access the videos, simply log in to FishBase and click one of the links on the home page (under "FishBase videos and guides").
Educational supervisors
The Clinical Supervisors Report: Guidance for Supervisors
Webinars for GP trainers
Every six months, as part of our commitment to developing your professional confidence and supporting you in your role as a trainer, we provide a live refresher on the Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) to help you prepare, guide and support your trainees for exam success. The webinars are delivered in two parts, covering what trainers need to know about the exam and consultation techniques, and case examples and exam preparation.
Useful links for supervisors
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