The requirements
The SSR is optional. There is no mandatory requirement for a GP registrar to have a SSR completed in a non-clinical post. However, it can be a useful tool to provide evidence from this time in training.
Where the SSR is used, it should normally be completed before the end of each non-clinical element of a post so that feedback can be discussed in a timely way and used to inform the registrar's development.
The SSR must not be used instead of a CSR for posts with a clinical component.
Who can complete the SSR?
The SSR can be completed by a suitably trained professional who is able to provide informed feedback on the registrar's performance.
The person completing the report should have personally observed the registrar at work and should clearly state their name, role and the context in which they have supervised or observed the registrar.
If the assessor is a doctor, they should normally be ST4 level or above, or the equivalent Specialty, Associate Specialist, and Specialist (SAS) grade. All assessors should make it clear what their professional role is, and what relevant training they've had, so that the Educational Supervisors can understand the context of their feedback.
What the SSR assesses and the SSR standard
The SSR provides structured narrative feedback on capability progression during non-clinical work. It is designed to capture strengths, areas for development and any concerns that may need addressing or reviewing before the next placement.
The registrar is assessed against the level expected for their current stage of training. In the overall rating section, the assessor is asked to indicate the reference standard they are using when making that judgement.
How to complete the SSR
The assessor should complete the report on the basis of their own observations, supported where appropriate by relevant feedback from colleagues who have worked with the registrar. The assessor is expected to have personally observed the registrar at work ahead of completing the Supplementary Supervisor Report.
The report should be discussed with the registrar and, where possible, completed together at or near the end of the post (or element of the post).
Comments should be constructive, specific and developmental. Assessors should refer to the GP Capabilities and Progression Point Descriptors webpage or view the PDF directly when commenting on performance and should provide enough detail to support the Educational Supervisors Report (ESR).
Anyone assessing a Workplace Based Assessment is required to sign in to the Trainee Portfolio. Assessors will need to create a (free of charge) FourteenFish account if they don't already have one.
What is included in the form?
The SSR asks for comments on areas of strength and areas to develop across capability groupings that can be demonstrated in non-clinical settings.
At the end of the report, the assessor records an overall judgement of the registrar's performance in that non-clinical post and confirms the standard against which they are assessing them.
- Significantly below expectations
- Below expectations
- Meeting expectations
- Above expectations
Support and escalation
If the registrar is rated below expectations, or if the supervisor identifies that specific support is needed in the next post, the Educational Supervisor should be informed promptly. Where needed, supervisors should also liaise with the relevant Training Programme Director or Associate Dean.
The SSR is intended to support development as well as progression. Clear, specific comments are therefore more helpful than brief or generic statements.
The SSR on the Trainee Portfolio
The SSR will appear as a separate supervisor report in the Trainee Portfolio, visible in the Education Assessments area. It is intended to sit alongside, rather than within, the CSR process.
As completion is optional, it will not appear in the Table of Requirements or the training map. When completed, it will provide structured capability-linked feedback evidence that can be considered as part of the Educational Supervisor Report (ESR).
Anyone completing the SSR is required to sign in to the Trainee Portfolio.
Useful links and downloads
- Template SSR
- Example SSR - Above Expectations
- Example SSR - Below Expectations