Having an annual whole practice appraisal

 It is your responsibility to have an annual appraisal that:

• is carried out by a registered and licensed medical practitioner who meets our criteria
• has Good medical practice as its focus and complies with the Good medical practice framework for appraisal and revalidation
• covers and reflects on your whole practice and performance, as outlined in the Supporting information for revalidation and appraisal guidance
• is carried out with the appraiser and appraisee in the same room, or by video link, so that each is visible to the other
• is supported by appropriate systems and processes (eg to verify supporting information)
• is based on a structured appraisal form where you and your appraiser provide a summary of the appraisal discussion.

We'll ask your appraiser to tell us if and why any supporting information is missing at your appraisal. If there is any outstanding information, you will need to explain to your appraiser your plans for collecting this.

You should keep hold of the supporting information discussed at your appraisals since your last revalidation. You may be asked for it by a new appraiser, responsible officer (or the GMC) to verify you have met all requirements for revalidation. If you previously had a connection, this may include information from appraisals carried out by a designated body.

What is a structured appraisal form?

Your appraisal must be based on a structured form which you should keep along with your supporting information. The structured appraisal form must contain the following sections:

• personal details
• scope of practice since your last appraisal
• review of your personal development plan
• details of support information and reflection
• probity and health statements
• agreed personal development plan for coming year
• a summary of the appraisal discussion.

You and your appraiser should record the information clearly in the form. We would discourage the use of handwritten forms.

An example of an acceptable structured appraisal form is the NHS England Medical Appraisal form.

If you are unsure whether your appraisal provider uses an acceptable structured form you should check with them first.

Summary of your appraisal discussion

It’s important your appraiser provides you with a clear and accurate summary of your appraisal for the following reasons:

• It documents your successes during the year and the goals you want to achieve in the future
• It forms a basis for you to take forward learning from your reflective discussions and helps you to prepare for your next appraisal
• It provides a record of the progress you are making towards meeting your revalidation requirements.

You should expect your appraisal summary to include the following:

• A concise summary of each part of the appraisal discussion including what was discussed and any agreed actions and outcomes
• Details of the supporting information you submitted, any you haven’t and why, and what you will need to submit in the following year including how you plan to collect it.