ARCP and Educational Review Meetings

This page is to ensure that Anaesthetic trainees are aware of the specific requirements and resources available for their Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP). Information and guidance on the ARCP process can be found on our Accreditation and Revalidation pages and should be used in conjunction with this page.

Specific Anaesthesia evidence and documents required for ARCP are in addition to the documents stated on the Accreditation and Revalidation pages

All trainees within the anaesthetic and ICM training programmes are required to undertake a yearly assessment of their progress.

In the Wessex School of Anaesthesia each ARCP is carried out in absentia with a small specialty-based panel. The process is not an assessment of the individual but an assessment of the submitted evidence that is presented by the doctor. Trainees are given at least six weeks’ notice to provide the necessary documentation for the review.

In addition to the ARCP, Trainees will be invited to an Education Review Meeting that may or may not be held on the same day as the ARCP. It provides an opportunity for them to provide comments on their training to date, as well as reviewing progress/competences and identifying specific training needs. 

Wessex School of Anaesthesia ARCP requirements

The ARCP has 2 functions:

  1. To judge curriculum progress
  2. To feed into revalidation with the GMC – a process every doctor must engage with. We need to make a recommendation on your whole scope of practice as a doctor.

These items must be on the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLP) and assigned to the ARCP before the deadline date (2 weeks before the ARCP). Trainees will not be ‘chased’ to provide this documentation by the required date and should be aware that failure to do so can result in a developmental outcome (2, 3 or 5) being awarded.

Evidence required for review at ARCP

The following evidence is essential, without which an Outcome 1 cannot be awarded.

Educational Supervisor Structured Report (ESSR) – must be signed by ES and CT. An ESSR for each hospital rotation in the assessed period is required. These must include all sections and specific focus on:

  • Placement details
  • Exam outcome evidence
  • Appropriate certificates for level of training eg Stage 2 certificate, IAC etc
  • Logbook – annualised in RCoA summary format as per LLP
  • Multisource Feedback (MSF) (most trainees achieve response rate between 15-20 – minimum of 12 required)
  • MTR – minimum 3 responses
  • Non-clinical activities – QIP, audit, presentations, teaching etc
  • Evidence of absence (other than annual / study leave)
  • Form R – via TIS and uploaded to LLP
  • Reflection on Work Outside of Training Form if ANY work done as a doctor outside current employer ie locums in base hospital not needed, but if another site, then it is required, also anything such like expedition, retrieval work, event cover
  • Evidence of Reflective Practice – including annual reflection on year and certainly in relation to any ‘events or concerns’ that one has been involved in
Notes:
  • See RCoA ARCP Checklist attached
  • Please complete and upload to your portfolio the Educational Review and Development Plan (Word)
  • Upload and assign previous Educational Review and Development Plan
  • Academic trainees must have an Academic report attached to the ESSR annually
  • If on statutory leave, only Form R required
  • OOPT/R trainees need ES report and trainee report
  • OOPC/E require Reflection of Work Outside of Training report if any clinical work has been undertaken
  • Final ARCP – Notification of Completion of Training Form (all dates entered) submitted to TPD

Tips for Trainees and Educational Supervisors

We know there are glitches with the LLP, which are fed back to the RCoA and they are addressing them…for example, and crucially, not every member of the panel can see all aspects of your ESSR so…

Please –

  1. Make sure you know as soon as possible when the ARCP will be – ask your CT, who may need to ask your TPD. You will also have an idea from discussions at your annual review with the relevant TPD.
  2. Note that Doctors in Training will be notified by NHSE 8/52 prior to the ARCP date.
  3. Make sure the ESSR is completed at least 2/52 prior to the ARCP date – approved by ES and CT.
  4. Have ES comments next to MSF, MTR and Curriculum review. This is especially important if there is something we may need to act on eg Dr X has struggled to get Y Halo complete and may need longer or to revisit this.
  5. Form R
    • must reflect the whole scope of practice (eg training, expedition medicine, event cover, locums outside of your employing trust etc).
    • if refers to events, incidents or complaints, ensure this is also mentioned in the ESSR and commented on by ES eg involved in event, discussed, fully resolved.
    • try to align TOOT days declared on here and ESSR.
  6. If you work outside of your employing Trust, you must complete a Reflection of Work Outside of Training Form and have your supervisor for that sign it.
  7. Do NOT refer to evidence in other areas of your LLP – the panel cannot access it. We see a lot of ‘see document store or personal reflection’.
  8. Reflection – best put in Non-Clinical Activities (Section 12) or Learners Comments (Section 16). Note – we like to see an annual reflection on your year and anything else of relevance – GMC need to see reflective practice.

ICM Trainees

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