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ARCP Dates

Day Date Title Location Time Registration
Wed 26/05/2010 Summer ST3 ARCP Panel Brunel Room, Severn Deanery tbc
Wed 09/06/2010 Summer ST3 Panel Face to Face Meeting Cabot Room, Severn Deanery tbc
Thu 15/07/2010 Summer ST1/2 ARCP Panel Brunel Room, Severn Deanery tbc
Wed 28/07/2010 Summer ST1/2 Panel Face to Face Meeting Brunel Room, Severn Deanery tbc
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What is the ARCP panel?

The Annual Review of Competence Progression panel seeks to confirm that all GPStRs undertaking specialist training are progressing satisfactorily: specifically, that trainees are developing the expected competencies and skills at the expected rate and that the required evidence to support progression is present.

 
When are panels held?

A review will take place approximately every 12 months from the start date of training, irrespective of full time or less than full time (LTFT) status.  The final review is usually held about 6 weeks before the end of training to allow time for application for a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) -it cannot usually be held more than 8 weeks before the completion of training. Dates of the next round of panel meetings are indicated below. LTFT trainees, or those with end dates other than the beginning of August, will be informed of their dates by the deanery.

Who sits on a panel and what happens?

There are 3 large panel meetings each year in June, July and December. These are attended by at least one senior educator from each of the 5 deanery patches, as well as the chair, one or two lay assessors and a representative from the RCGP. The progress of each trainee is assessed exclusively by the evidence present in the e portfolio and no other documentation is considered. For more information see the Gold Guide.

What is a virtual Panel?

For those trainees whose training is out of synch with others due to being LTFT, or having had maternity or other special leave, it may be necessary to convene a panel between the main panel meetings. This virtual panel will usually consist of a patch Associate Dean, a trained lay member and the panel Chair. The portfolio will be looked at on line by each member although they will not meet face to face. It may still be considered necessary to have a face to face meeting with a trainee should there be an unsatisfactory outcome (see below)

What are the possible outcomes of a panel?

  1. Achieving progress and the development of competences at the expected rate
  2. Development of specific competences required – additional training time not  required
  3. Inadequate progress by the trainee – additional training time required
  4. Released from training programme with or without specific competences
  5. Incomplete evidence presented – additional training time may be required
  6. Gained all required competences; will be recommended as having completed the training programme and for award for a certificate of completion of training (CCT)

 


How should a GPStR prepare for the ARCP panel meeting?

Details as to how trainees should prepare for panels are outlined in a WPBA guidance sheet.

 

Who needs to attend a face to face review and what happens? 

Whilst most ARCPs take place in the absence of the trainee concerned, if you are judged to have outcomes 2 (need to acquire additional skills), 3 (need extended training) or 4 (be required to leave the training programme) the panel will meet with you to outline its decision face-to-face and to detail the remedial action required (if appropriate). 

 

 

 

There are a number of processes to monitor and improve the quality of the ARCP process and associated educational supervision and work place based assessment within the Deanery.

1) At least annually, following completion of ARCP panels, the process is reviewed internally with recommendations for changes.
2) The RCGP provides an External Advisor who sits in and observes at least one panel a year and produces a report. 
3) The RCGP  also examines a sample of portfolios centrally once a year to examine specific quality issues and provide comparative data

Previous reports and associated action plans can be accessed below:

 
 
 
 
 
Any questions about ARCP panels should be directed to:
Katie Terrell
 
 
 
 
 

We sincerely hope you wont need to read this section!

The regulations regarding training assessments, supervision and the ARCP process and detailed in the Gold Guide (on MMC Website)

If you wish to appeal an ARCP decision, in the cases of outcomes 3 and 4, then you should do so in writing to the Postgraduate Dean, Professor Davinder Sandhu, within 10 working days.  The process that will be followed is detailed in Sections 7.121 to 7.152 of the Gold Guide and you should study this carefully before embarking on the process.

Such situations are understandably stressful, and the School will do its best to provide you with support and advice from a member of its faculty unconnected with your case.

 
 
 
Last updated at 15:31, 08 October 2009