The College is committed to supporting all of our Fellows, Members and Trainees through their revalidation. We put together the following resources to answer any questions you have and to provide support as you prepare for appraisal.
The RCOG are one of a number of organisations able to offer guidance on the appraisal process. We’ve collated insights on the process and advice for doctors on what they need to do ahead of appraisal. Find tips on how to present assessment material and how best to demonstrate the relevant professional skills and values for a successful revalidation.
For appraisers, too, we can guide you towards the information you’ll need to effectively carry out a medical appraisal. Explore the links below to find the relevant training materials and resources.
Essential information on appraisals
Licensed doctors must participate in an annual appraisal process as part of revalidation. The appraisal must cover all of your medical responsibilities and be based on the General Medical Council (GMC) guide to Good Medical Practice. This is a core set of standards which doctors must demonstrate they meet.
You’ll need to collect supporting information for your appraisal. This should come in the form of a portfolio which you’ll then be expected to discuss during the assessment. The GMC has prepared guidance on preparing supporting information, as well as advice on how to reflect on this material to advance your practice.
There are six types of supporting information required by the GMC for a positive revalidation recommendation:
- Continuing professional development (CPD)
- Quality improvement activities (QIA)
- Significant events (SE)
- Feedback from patients or those to whom you provide medical services
- Feedback from colleagues
- Review of compliments and complaints
Each of these points is expanded upon in the guide to O&G specific revalidation, prepared by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) and the RCOG.
We recommend consulting this document for detailed recommendations on how to fulfil GMC requirements across these six areas. You will find that, while the types of supporting information is the same for all doctors, the RCOG has added O&G specific advice at the end of each section where appropriate.
It’s important to note that you are not expected to upload every piece of supporting information that you can find. The GMC and AoRMC stress that your focus should be on finding representative pieces of information, items which reflect the scope of your practice and are useful for reflection and development. You can find more information on this in section two of the O&G revalidation guide, Quality, not quantity.
The AoMRC has provided a continuing professional development (CPD) guidance framework for appraisers and appraisees. This document provides guidance to appraisers on what they should consider when reviewing a doctor’s CPD activity, as well as guidance to doctors on the things they should expect to discuss during a constructive appraisal.
This document will help inform the structure of your supporting information and of the appraisal discussion. By following this guidance, you’ll be able to ensure that your learning and progression is properly evaluated against your personal development plan (PDP).
All participants in the RCOG’s CPD programme should be recording their CPD activities in the RCOG’s CPD/Revalidation ePortfolio, which can be used as evidence in your appraisal. The RCOG’s ePortfolio also allows you to record additional information necessary for revalidation, although there are other ePortfolios available.
