Appraisal for General Practitioners

 

 

The Appraisal Process

·             The appraiser should be another GP, who will have been properly trained in carrying out appraisal

·             Appraisee and appraiser should prepare by identifying issues to discuss in the appraisal discussion, and reflecting on them

·             The assessment of some of the more specialist aspects of a GP's clinical performance should be carried out by peers who are fully acquainted with the relevant areas of expertise and knowledge

·             There should be clearly agreed local procedures for resolving individual concerns about appraisal which fit within the national model

·             The appraisal should conclude by setting down, as an action plan, the agreements that have been reached about what each party is committed to doing. This should include the essentials of the personal development plan (PDP). Key development objectives for the following year and subsequent years should be set out in the PDP.

 

Revised Links

§             Appraisal for general practitioners: guidance

§             Download pre-appraisal forms in Word (DOC, 80K)

§             Download pre-appraisal forms in Rich Text Format (RTF, 108K)

§             Download pre-appraisal forms in Portable Document Format (PDF, 31K)

§             Download post-appraisal forms in Word (DOC, 51K)

§             Download post-appraisal forms in Rich Text Format (RTF, 68K)

§             Download post-appraisal forms in Portable Document Format (PDF, 17K)

§             ScHARR report (June 2003) on extending appraisals (external link)

§             Download letter (May 2002) on future GP appraiser training (PDF, 19K)

§             Download letter (1 March 2002) announcing scheme (PDF, 20K)

§             Download ScHARR (University of Sheffield) report (October 2001) on GP appraisal (PDF, 122K)

§             Download summary of ScHARR October 2001 report (PDF, 13K)

§             Appraisal questions and answers - GPs

 

The above links have been updated on 1 September 2004 & should work…

 

Information, Forms and Guidance

Devon LMCs Guidance on Appraisal – Feb 2003

Appraisal for General Practitioners - Dr John Dean, Medical Secretary, Devon LMCs – HTML

Devon LMCs - Crib Sheet On Your Appraisal - HTML

(I have amended the links so they should now work – many thanks to PB…)

Future GP Appraiser Training – 22 May 2002 - Philip Leech FRCGP - Link

Announcement of scheme 1 March 2002 - Kathy Doran - Link

Preliminary announcement 7 February 2002 - Nigel Crisp - Link

DoH – Appraisal Web Site - http://www.doh.gov.uk/gpappraisal/index.htm

Appraisal for General Practitioners working in the NHS ~ Full Guidance - PDF

Pre-Appraisal Forms - PDF

Post Appraisal Forms - PDF

School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) University of Sheffield - Appraisal for GPs - PDF

ScHARR - Appraisal for GPs (Executive Summary) - PDF

9th Letter to the profession “GP appraisal” by Dr John W Chisholm, Chairman, BMA's GPC - Link

If you have problems working with PDFs or require a paper copy, please contact the office – john@devonlmc.org

 

Appraisal: A Guide for Medical Practitioners

A report from the Board of Medical Education - October 2003 - Download the guide as PDF


Extract from BMA Web Site –

The board of medical education, a standing committee of the British Medical Association, provides an interface between the medical profession, the government, the educational sector, and the public. One aim of the board is to provide evidence of best practice and promote the highest standards of medical education. The board provides up-to-date information resources for students applying to medical school, as well as careers information for doctors.

 

With the annual appraisal for medical practitioners well under way in most hospitals and primary care trusts (PCTs), this report serves as a resource for doctors interested in learning more about the principles and practice involved in the annual appraisal process.

 

This report addresses appraisal from both appraiser and appraisee perspectives and looks beyond the standard definition of appraisal as simply a structured formal meeting between an employee and their supervisor in which the work performance of the employee is examined and discussed [1]. Instead, it looks at appraisal as a component of life-long learning, emphasising that it is vital for personal professional development. Examples of current appraisal technique and case studies highlighting good practice illustrate ways in which doctors can make the most of the appraisal process. In addition, it looks at the theory underlying appraisal and the objectives of the appraisal process, and practical details about preparation for appraisal are included.

 

Intended to be used as a living document, the report also makes recommendations and provides links to other websites that provide further details on appraisal.

Dr Peter H Dangerfield, Chairman, board of medical education, October 2003

 

Appraisal for GPs is being introduced from 1st April 2002, following full and detailed consultation with the General Practitioners' Committee of the BMA.

· Appraisal is a formative and developmental process. It is about identifying development needs, not performance management. It is a positive process, to give GPs feedback on their past performance, to chart continuing progress and identify development needs.

· The content of appraisal will be based on the GMC’s core headings set out in the ‘Good Medical Practice’ document.

· Standardised documentation should ensure that information from a variety of NHS employers will be recorded and expressed consistently.

· Both appraisee and appraiser should prepare by identifying issues to discuss in the appraisal discussion, and reflecting on them.

· The appraiser should be another GP, who will have been properly trained in carrying out appraisal.

· The assessment of some of the more specialist aspects of a GPs clinical performance should be carried out by peers who are fully acquainted with the relevant areas of expertise and knowledge.

· There should be clear agreed local procedures for resolving individual concerns about appraisal which fit within the national model.

· The appraisal should conclude by setting down, as an action plan, the agreements that have been reached about what each party is committed to doing. This should include the essentials of the personal development plan. Key development objectives for the following year and subsequent years should be set in the PDP.

· Appraisal will provide a regular, structured system for recording progress towards revalidation and identifying development needs, which will support individual GPs in achieving revalidation. While appraisal and revalidation will be based largely or wholly on the same sources of information, and appraisal summaries will inform revalidation, the objectives of the two processes are distinct and complementary.

· Formal responsibility for appraisal will rest with the PCT.

 

The above information is reproduced from the DoH – Appraisal Web Site - http://www.doh.gov.uk/gpappraisal/index.htm

 

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 January 2005
By John BakerEmail: jb@devonlmc.org