Appraisal & Assessment.

Each doctor/dentist in a training programme (referred to as Trainees) is subject to an annual assessment of their competence, as outlined in the following guidance documents:

The Gold Guide, 9th Edition (2022) A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Foundation and Specialty Training in the UK
The Dental Gold Guide (2021) A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Dental Specialty Training in the UK
The Blue Guide (2022) A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Dental Foundation Training in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

The assessment, known as an RCP or ARCP, provides a formal process in which a panel reviews the evidence presented by the trainee and their educational supervisor relating to the trainee’s progress in the training programme. This may be via an ePortfolio.
It enables the trainee, the Postgraduate Dean and employers to document that the competences required are being gained at an appropriate rate and through appropriate experience.

The RCP/ARCP process is applicable to all trainees including:

Academic trainees
Out of programme trainees
Less than full time trainees

An Educational Supervisor's Report (ESR) Guide for ARCPs in 2020 is available.

A training video for RCP/ARCP panels was released in 2021 and can be viewed below for information:

Prior to the ARCP

Trainees will be required to submit evidence throughout their training year, which demonstrates that they are meeting the requirements set out in the curriculum of their training programme. Details of curriculum requirements can be found via the relevant Royal College’s website. Additional documents (e.g. decision aids, training post assessment forms) will be available on your relevant School’s webpage.

Academic trainees will also need to submit a Report on Academic Progress.

Trainees will be notified in writing by HEE of the deadline in which all of their evidence must be uploaded to their eportfolio or submitted via email if an eportfolio is not used by the training programme. Evidence uploaded after this date will not be considered by the RCP/ARCP panel.

Trainees registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) are required to submit a Form R Part B for each ARCP as part of their revalidation requirement.

The RCP/ARCP

Trainees will not be involved in the RCP/ARCP panel, which is why all evidence must be presented by the deadline. The RCP/ARCP panel will gather face-to-face, or remotely, to consider all of the evidence submitted and award a numbered outcome.

Outcome	Medical Trainees including foundation, core and general practice	Dental Foundation Trainees	Dental Core Trainees	Dental Specialty Trainees, including post-CCST training
1 - Satisfactory progress – Achieving progress and the development of competences at the expected rate	X	X (IRCP only)	X (IRCP only)	X
2 - Development of specific competences required	X	X (IRCP only)	X (IRCP only)	X
3 - Inadequate progress – Additional training time required	X	X	X	X
4 - Released from training programme – With or without specified competences	X	X	X	X
5 - Incomplete evidence presented so panel unable to make a decision	X	X	X	X
6 - Gained all required competences to complete training programme	X	X	X	X
7 - Trainees in post-CCST Training Posts				X (post CCST Trainees only)
8 - Out of programme for clinical experience, research or a career break	X			X

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, all RCP/ARCP panels will be held via telephone or digital technology.

The RCP/ARCP panel will complete an outcome form which details the outcome awarded and the reasons for this. This outcome form will be available to trainees via ePortfolio or via email if an eportfolio is not used by the training programme. Confirmation of the outcome will also be sent from HEE via email within 10 working days for outcome 1s, and within 5 working days for all other ARCP outcomes. Trainees should read the document carefully and discuss any queries with their Educational Supervisor, Training Programme Director or Panel Chair (where different).

Where the panel were unable to award an outcome, due to incomplete evidence being provided, an outcome 5 will be awarded. This is a temporary outcome and will contain a deadline in which the missing evidence must be provided.

Following the RCP/ARCP

Trainees will be offered the opportunity to discuss the contents of the outcome form, after it has been released, with a suitable person from their training programme, for example, an Educational Supervisor, a Training Programme Director or a Head of School. This is known as a trainee post-ARCP feedback meeting.

If a trainee has been awarded an outcome 2, 3 or 4 a feedback meeting will need to take place. A post-ARCP feedback meeting will be arranged for trainees awarded an outcomes 3 or 4, with outcome 2s being discussed with the Educational Supervisor. This may take place face-to-face or via telephone or digital technology.

Trainees awarded an outcome 5 will be offered a feedback meeting, if their temporary outcome has been replaced by an outcome 2, 3 or 4.

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, all feedback meetings will be held via telephone or digital technology.

Reviews and Appeals

Details on requesting a review or an appeal of an ARCP outcome are available here.