Guidance for referees
This page is to help people who have been asked to complete a reference (structured report) on behalf of an applicant for entry onto the Specialist Register with a Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) or entry onto the GP Register with a Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR).
We recommend to applicants that they ask your permission before nominating you as a referee in support of their application and that they provide you with a copy of their CV.
Once we have received their application and list of nominated referees, we will contact you and send a structured report form for you to complete.
You can download guidance on completing the form here:
Please do not attempt to respond to us using the information in this sample. You must wait until we write to you.
Before you complete the form
Before you complete the form you will need to know the current CCT standards and application requirements for the specialty the doctor is applying in. If the doctor is not applying in a CCT specialty, please look at the curriculum for the nearest specialty.
For that specialty please do all of the following:
- make sure you know the current curriculum
- familiarise yourself with the standard required for a CCT (as set out in the curriculum)
Referees that are Clinical or Medical Directors
Applicants are encouraged to include their current clinical or medical director as one of their referees, whether or not that person works with them directly, or is known to them personally. As Clinical or Medical Director they would be expected to know the outcome of the work of the applicant’s unit, the involvement of the individual in trust activities and whether there are any issues of clinical governance or disciplinary action in relation to the person. In our experience an application is unlikely to be successful if a structured report is not received from a current Clinical or Medical Director.
Direct Knowledge of applicant
The structured report form asks referees to indicate their direct knowledge of the applicant in the relevant area. If, under any of the headings, you do not have direct knowledge of the applicant please enter ‘No direct knowledge’ in that section.
If you are a medical director please consult with your colleagues before completing the form and use the knowledge you have of the applicant’s involvement in departmental activity.