Your Appraisal

• It is good practice to agree the date of your appraisal meeting in advance of your appraisal window.
• You should start preparing for the appraisal meeting in good time before your agreed appraisal date.
• Enter the agreed date in PreP. You will then avoid the automated reminder emails from the system!
• If you are assigned a new appraiser or have not had any previous FPM appraisals, you or your appraiser may suggest a discussion before your appraisal date to introduce yourselves, discuss your supporting information and any needs and requirements for the appraisal meeting.
• The Input Form must be sent to your appraiser via PReP at least 2 weeks before the planned appraisal meeting to allow your appraiser time for a full review of your portfolio and to prepare for the discussion.

• Ensure that an appropriate recent photograph for identification purposes is uploaded to PReP and that your registered GMC address is up-to-date.
• Ensure your contact telephone and e-mail details are correct.
• Ensure that your Revalidation Recommendation date in PReP is correct in order that your appraiser can give you appropriate guidance. The correct date will then be replicated on your Input Form.
• All of the above can be updated using the three dashes (‘hamburger’ button) on the top left of the login page and then selecting ‘Profile’ from the drop-down menu.

• Your Scope of Work must include all medical roles, along with details of your key responsibilities, carried out since your last appraisal. The GMC provides the following guidance “You have provided a medical service if you have used your medical knowledge and skill as part of your work. This does not necessarily have to have been in a clinical setting”.
• You may also include roles from the immediate past, but it is good practice and helpful to your appraiser to remove, ‘prune’ or as a minimum reduce to a single line, your older entries.
• If you have any questions or doubts, then discuss with your appraiser.
• You can modify your Scope of Work directly from the ‘Portfolio’ tab located on the blue ribbon on your login page.
• You must ensure that ‘% of week’ adds up to 100% for the appraisal year or provide an explanation
• Your appraisal period is the whole period since your last appraisal
• More guidance is available in the Scope of Work Quick Guide within the ‘Help’ tab.

Completion of this section is not mandatory, but it does provide an opportunity for you to detail your situation enabling your appraiser to explore these aspects with you in a supportive discussion and, where appropriate, to offer guidance.

• Include all your medical qualifications including your specialist training qualifications.
• Membership / Fellowship of medical organisations can also appear here.
• You can modify your Medical Qualifications directly from the ‘Portfolio’ tab located on the blue ribbon on your login page.

• Supporting Information (SI) is the evidence and reflection that demonstrates that you are continuing to meet the principles and values set out in the GMC’s guidance on supporting information for appraisal and revalidation.
• There are six types of SI you must collect, reflect on and discuss at your appraisal. They are:

(a) Continuing professional development
(b) Quality improvement activity
(c) Significant events or serious incidents
(d) Complaints and compliments
(e) Colleague feedback
(f) Patient / Volunteer feedback

• The range of SI you must collect, reflect on and discuss at appraisal will depend on your scope of practice and the type of work you do.
• Your SI must cover your whole range of practice.
• Ensure that your SI is appropriately redacted / anonymised.
• Do not upload lengthy documents. For example, if you have written a study protocol, provide the front page and signatory/contributor pages where your contribution is clear. Redact colleagues’ names.
• The evidence you provide should demonstrate your personal involvement.
• All supporting information should carry an appropriate title and must include reflection (see below for further guidance on reflective practice).
• More than one piece of evidence can be attached to an item of supporting information
• When you link individual SI to ‘Categories’ in your Input Form, please do not list to multiple categories as this increases the complexity of your portfolio for your appraiser.
• In particular do not link CPD to QIA. They are different and ensuring correct linking will help you to know that you are meeting GMC requirements for both types of evidence.
• When linking SI to GMP domains and attributes, only link to attributes where you can clearly justify this as part of your reflection.

You can add your SI directly from the ‘Supporting Information’ tab located on the blue ribbon on the login page. Alternatively, the option to add SI from a pop-up box is available next to the section heading on the Input Form.

• When creating SI, you need to assign an ‘end date’ to use the reflective template. You may prefer to provide a separate reflective document since the template does not allow text formatting.
• PReP allows many different file types to be linked or uploaded but bear in mind that your appraiser may not be using the same software as you. PDFs are generally the easiest file type for sharing. Make sure that any links to web-based evidence are still active. Ensure that links to emails have colleagues’ names redacted or removed.

CPD items, with your reflections and learnings, demonstrate that you keep up to date and competent in all the work that you do. They should be a mixture of formal learning and on-the-job activities.

There is no mandatory number of credits that you must attain each year. However, you must demonstrate that you have undertaken and learnt from sufficient CPD activity to keep up to date across your whole scope of practice. Fifty credits in a full appraisal year remains reasonable guidance but it will vary with your scope of work and needs. For CPD activities with no formal point allocation, you should allocate yourself 1 CPD point for every hour of learning.

• You must reflect on what you have learned from each activity (see below for further guidance on reflective practice).
• Avoid linking CPD to QIA – they are different activities.
• Records of your company mandatory training (SOPs, Policies, Work Instructions etc.) should appear in this section.
• If you are required to undertake any other mandatory training as part of your role, eg GCP training, Code of Practice training, ALS courses etc. the details of all such trainings completed in the current appraisal year should appear in this section of the Input Form.

TIP: Please ensure you provide a commentary on how your CPD activities have supported the areas described in your Scope of Work and demonstrates that you are continuing to meet the requirements of Good Medical Practice.

• When reflecting on your CPD SI as a whole, consider why you did these activities and what impact will they have on your Scope of Work and professional development.
• Consider the 4 domains of GMP when you complete your reflection. How do your learnings demonstrate you are developing and maintaining your professional performance, applying your knowledge and skills, contributing to safety and/or quality, communicating effectively, working collaboratively, sharing knowledge and teaching, establishing partnerships with patients, or maintaining trust. Before ticking the GMP attributes box linking the SI in CPD, ensure you have explained your reasoning in your reflection.

TIP: Please ensure you provide a commentary on how your CPD activities have supported the areas described in your Scope of Work and demonstrates that you are continuing to meet the requirements of Good Medical Practice.

QIA enables you to demonstrate that you regularly review and evaluate the quality of your (or your team’s) work, identifying what works well in practice and where you can make beneficial changes and to reflect on whether those changes have improved your practice or if further changes are appropriate.

• It is important to demonstrate your own input and role, and of course, write up with reflections, learnings and what will be done differently next time.
• If audit of your own work is not available, then 2 QIA should be provided annually with evidence and reflection (see below).
• You should avoid linking QIA to CPD as they are separate activities
• Further guidance on QIA with examples for pharmaceutical physicians is given here.
• When reflecting on your QIA SI as a whole, consider why you did these activities, highlight your personal participation and quality improvements as a result of your participation.
• Consider the 4 domains of GMP when you complete your reflection. How do improvements and learnings demonstrate you are developing and maintaining your professional performance, applying your knowledge and skills, contributing to safety and/or quality, communicating effectively, working collaboratively, sharing knowledge and teaching, establishing partnerships with patients, or maintaining trust. Before ticking the GMP attributes box linking the SI in QIA, ensure you have explained your reasoning in your reflection.

TIP: Please describe your personal participation in the Quality Improvement activities, including how you evaluated and reflected on the results of the activity and any action taken. You should also reflect on how this information demonstrates that you are continuing to meet the requirements of Good Medical Practice.

Examples of QIA for doctors working in different areas of Pharmaceutical Medicine.

The GMC is putting greater emphasis on reflective practice. It is central to revalidation. Whilst your appraiser can facilitate further reflection, it is the doctor’s responsibility to demonstrate examples of reflective practice.

1. Reflection demonstrates insight by identifying actions to help learning, development or improvement of your practice, allowing you to develop greater insight and awareness. In addition, particularly as part of QIA, it identifies opportunities to improve quality and patient safety.
2. There are a number of ways in which your reflection can be documented you should identify the way that suits you best. However, the following can be considered:

For reflections related to CPD activities, consider answering the below:

1.  Why have I included this piece of information?
2. What did I learn from this activity/process?
3. How have I shared / how will I share these learnings?
4. How will these learnings impact my professional activities / benefit my organisation? / How will my practice change as a result of these learnings?
5. How will these learnings ultimately benefit patients?

For reflections related to quality improvement activities (QIA), consider answering the below:

1. What was the issue/area for improvement that resulted in my considering this activity as QIA?
2. How is the activity relevant to my work?
3. What did I do / plan to do to improve quality?
4. What were the key learnings / improvements?
5. Did I successfully achieve improvement and how did I evaluate this / how can this be evaluated?
6. How will this activity ultimately benefit patients?

• Evidence of an activity should be uploaded to the titled supporting information item as attachments (supporting documents). It should demonstrate:
  (a) that the activity occurred,
  (b) your participation and,
  (c) also provide context for your reflective notes for that item.
• Adequate and relevant evidence should normally be provided for each item of SI.
• You do not need to submit every available piece of evidence from the appraisal year. You must be able to explain to your appraiser, if asked, why you have chosen the evidence.
• If it is not possible to provide evidence, e.g. due to confidentiality reasons, document this in the description of the relevant SI item and show the evidence to the appraiser during the appraisal meeting.
• Personal details for any third party which are not in the public domain (e.g., colleague names and contact details) should be redacted from all evidence (e-mails, internal documents etc.) where appropriate, before uploading into PReP.

It is a GMC requirement that doctors declare and reflect on every significant event or serious incident that the doctor was involved in since their last appraisal.

• Only complete this section if you have been involved in a Significant Event since your last appraisal
• A significant event as defined by the GMC for revalidation is:
  ‘Any unintended or unexpected event, which could or did lead to harm of one or more patients. This includes incidents which did not cause harm but could have done, or where the event should have been prevented.’

You must upload all written complaints that you have received and provide context as part of your reflection. Informal complaints can also provide valuable learnings and changes in practice.

Each year consider uploading evidence and reflection on compliments that you have received and may wish to discuss. This may include anonymised feedback from your team as part of an annual performance review, individual e-mails complimenting you on your professional performance and interactions, awards, etc.

• You are required to undergo validated colleague 360 (Multi Source Feedback) which meets GMC requirements at least once per revalidation cycle (normally every 5 years).
• You should reflect on the feedback received and record your reflection in your Input Form.
• Colleague feedback and your reflection must have been reviewed / discussed at an appraisal meeting to form part of your portfolio for your revalidation recommendation.
• This exercise must be undertaken using a validated feedback tool. The FPM uses the Edgecumbe Group tool; you can access the tool from the ‘Help’ tab located on the blue ribbon on the login page.
• Consider completing the colleague feedback exercise mid-way through your revalidation cycle and do not leave it until Year 5 of your revalidation cycle in case it takes longer than expected to complete and is not ready for your final appraisal in your cycle.
• It may take up to 3 months to receive a completed report. Delays may also occur over holiday periods – hence good practice is to plan well ahead of your appraisal meeting.
• If you have undertaken this exercise since your last revalidation date with a different designated body, then you must submit a copy of the report to the Revalidation team at revalidation@fpm.org.uk so that it can be reviewed.
• This section can be appropriate for uploading your company performance review.

• If you have patient contact or contact with healthy volunteers, you will also need to complete a patient feedback exercise to revalidate.
• The patient feedback needs to be completed at least once per revalidation cycle (normally once every 5 years).
• You should reflect on the feedback in your Input Form.
• Patient feedback and your reflection must then be reviewed at an appraisal meeting before a positive revalidation recommendation can be made.
• This exercise should normally be undertaken using a validated feedback tool such as the Edgecumbe Group tool. You can access the tool from the ‘Help’ tab located on the blue ribbon on the login page.
• In exceptional circumstances these questionnaires are not appropriate for the patient group or patient numbers seen. In such circumstances you should discuss alternative approaches with your appraiser and Responsible Officer.
• You should also upload and reflect on any other solicited or unsolicited feedback that you receive in each appraisal period.
• Consider completing the patient / healthy volunteer feedback exercise mid-way through your revalidation cycle and do not leave it until Year 5 of your revalidation cycle.
• It may take up to 3 months to receive a completed report. Delays may also occur over holiday periods – hence good practice is to plan well ahead of your appraisal meeting.
• If you have undertaken this exercise since your last revalidation date with a different designated body, then you must submit a copy of the report to revalidation@fpm.org.uk so that this can be reviewed.

This section is not mandatory but can be used to upload your current job description.

• If you have a new appraiser, it can be very helpful to upload a copy of your current CV under this section so that your new appraiser has an understanding of your background and experience and to inform your discussion.

This section is intended for those who are academics and require an appraisal under the Follet principles.

This section should be completed if you have any education or training roles

• Selecting ‘Yes’ will provide a list of these roles. You should only select ‘named educational supervisor in postgraduate training’ if you have been approved by the GMC to undertake the ES role within a specialty training programme such as PMST.
• If you respond by selecting the ‘Other Education/Training role (please specify)’, you must ensure you provide more details in the free text box (section 29).

If you have been approved by the GMC to undertake your training role:

You should complete section 30 of the Input Form which asks:

‘For which of the seven domains as defined by the GMC for ‘Recognition and Approval of Trainers’ are you able to provide supporting evidence for? You must have one item of educational CPD (domain 7) annually.’

• Your appraisal portfolio as a GMC approved educational supervisor (ES) should demonstrate a professional and informed approach to supervision of trainees. You should complete the ‘PMST ES Self-Review Record’ (available under the ‘Resources’ section of the FPM website here).
• You should submit the evidence and reflection for your CPD activities in your portfolio.
• You should follow the FPM Deanery guidance. This says that you are required to undertake at least one CPD activity that is relevant to your ES role each appraisal year, and to be able to provide evidence of activity in all of the educational domains every four years.
• You should complete the ‘PMST ES Self-Review Record’ even if you had a trainee for a part of the appraisal year.
• If you did not have a trainee for the whole of the appraisal year, you should mention this in the Input Form.

• Have you reflected or commented on the achievement / non-achievement or progress for each PDP objective agreed at the last appraisal meeting in the relevant box in the Input Form?
• Have you linked your relevant SI for the current appraisal year with the relevant PDP objectives agreed at the last appraisal meeting?
• Your learning needs and plans for your CPD should be reflected in your personal development plan (PDP) for the coming year (section 31).
• Although your appraiser will be responsible for writing your PDP objectives for the next appraisal year after discussions at the next appraisal meeting, it is always good practice to suggest PDP objectives for the next appraisal year in your Input Form. This will improve the quality, structure and focus of your discussions at the appraisal meeting.
• Your PDP should focus on and reflect your learning and development needs, Scope of Work and career aspirations.
• Your CPD activities for the next appraisal year should, therefore, reflect your learning and development needs and plans.
• You should have between 3 – 6 objectives for each appraisal year as part of your PDP.
• PDP objectives should be written in SMART format:
  S = Specific and not too broad and generic.
  M = Measurable i.e. the achievement or progress can de demonstrated
  objectively.
  A = Achievable, is it realistically possible to achieve this objective?
  R = Relevant, is it relevant to your learning and development needs
  and career aspirations? Is it relevant from a GMP perspective?
  T = Time-bounded, have you specified timelines for the achievement of
  this objective?
• In order to aid your appraiser in writing your PDP objectives, it is important that you have clarity on your learning and development needs and if you have any plans for the next appraisal year and beyond. You should reflect on the reasons why you would like a particular PDP objective, your plan for achieving it, resources required and how the PDP objective will change / affect your medical practice.
• It is possible that some PDP objectives may span across a few years. However, for every appraisal year, you should have specific achievement goal(s) and plans in relation to any long-term objectives. These achievement goals should be written in SMART manner as outlined above.

This section is not mandatory. However, appraisal is a formative process and the information you provide here will assist your appraiser in structuring the appraisal discussion to support you. The information can also be of value in helping you and your appraiser formulate a relevant PDP.

Therefore, you are encouraged to document and discuss:

• Your achievements over the past year,
• Your aspirations for the future, and
• Any challenges you may currently be facing.

This section is used for documentation that is specifically required by designated bodies as part of their governance processes. It is therefore a suitable place to upload the annual clinical review(s) for doctors with clinical practice (patient or volunteer) as required by the FPM Clinical Review Policy. The Revalidation team will have advised you if there are any other items you are required to upload here. Do not forget to provide suitable and relevant evidence with appropriate reflections.

• The 4 domains of GMP are:
  • Domain 1: Knowledge, skills and performance
  • Domain 2: Safety and quality
  • Domain 3: Communication, partnership and teamwork
  • Domain 4: Maintaining trust
• For this section of the Input Form and during your appraisal, you should explain and reflect on how your supporting information demonstrates that you are continuing to meet the principles and values set out in Good Medical Practice.
• Thoughtful reflection on your SI and what it says about your practice will help you improve the quality of care that you give to your patients and/or the services you provide as a doctor. You will not meet GMC requirements by simply collecting the required SI. Ongoing reflection on your practice is central to revalidation and should form part of the preparation for your appraisal as well as an integral part of the appraisal discussion.

Face to face appraisal remains the preferred approach to optimise the quality of the interaction and develop the most productive professional connection. Consequently, video conference appraisals are not permitted unless permission is sought and granted in writing from the Responsible Officer before the meeting date. Appraisal by telephone (i.e. without video facilities) is not acceptable. NHS England guidance states that ‘technology assisted appraisals’:

• are not normally permitted,
• can only be used on rare occasions ‘where circumstances present insurmountable obstacles to a face to face meeting’ and where a postponement ‘would cause more harm than good’

Geographical aspects alone will not be accepted as reasonable circumstances for an appraisal via video conference.

If you feel your appraisal can only take place via video conference, you should contact the Responsible Officer at the earliest possible date, working with your allocated appraiser to provide the following information:

• Why a face-to-face appraisal meeting cannot be arranged within the three-month appraisal window.
• The earliest date that it is likely a face-to-face appraisal meeting could take place.
• How long you are likely to be abroad (if applicable).
• Whether this issue is likely to arise in future years

Please note that appraisees are responsible for any costs if their appraisal takes place via video conference.

Technology assisted appraisals are a ‘one off’ to manage very exceptional circumstances, so if working abroad and undergoing a face-to-face appraisal meeting is likely to present an ongoing problem, you should seriously consider relinquishing your UK licence since it is not required for work abroad. The process for regaining the licence after voluntarily relinquishing is simple and quick. Further details can be found on the GMC website.

An approved video conference appraisal must take place under the same conditions as a face to face meeting – appraiser and appraisee must book a sufficient amount of time for the meeting and be in a private and quiet environment free from distractions or interruptions. They must also ensure that they have familiarised themselves with the technology before the meeting is scheduled to begin to minimise delays.

Questions? Contact revalidation@fpm.org.uk

The above policy has been updated to reflect the guidance issued by NHS England in July 2019.