Appraisal Information

The primary aim of appraisal is to identify personal and professional development needs.

An appraisal has several aims:

to set out personal and professional development needs, career paths and goals;
to agree plans for them to be met
to review the doctor's performance
to consider the doctor's contribution to the quality and improvement of local healthcare services
to optimise the use of skills and resources in achieving the delivery of high quality care
to offer an opportunity for doctors to discuss and seek support for their participation in activities
to identify the need for adequate resources to enable service objectives to be met.

The process should embody a positive and developmental approach, be fair, effective and well informed, and where possible indicate how patient care and working within NHS organisations can be improved.

The RCPSG CPD Portfolio and Appraisal toolkit is no longer operational. Further advice will follow as soon as possible.

It is applicable to all consultants who are Fellows and Members of RCPSG and the website contains the extant 'consultant appraisal' and supporting literature.

Every doctor undergoing appraisal needs to prepare an appraisal folder demonstrating information, evidence and data to inform the process. The process is not about acquiring new evidence or information, but pulling together what currently exists.

The doctor and appraiser will agree a written overview of the appraisal. This should include:

a summary of achievement in the previous year
objectives for the next year
key elements of a personal development plan
actions expected of the organisation
a standard summary of the appraisal
a joint declaration that the appraisal has been carried out properly

Chief Executives of NHS organisations are accountable for ensuring appraisal takes place. They are also accountalle for ensuring that appraisers are properly trained to carry out this role, and are in a position to undertake appraisal of a doctor's whole practice (including clinical performance), and where appropriate, service delivery and management issues.

Assuring Quality in Appraisal
The NHS Steering Group commissioned the NHS Clinical Governance Support Team (CGST) to devise a framework for assuring the quality of medical appraisal. This framework, 'Assuring the Quality of Medical Appraisal' was published by CGST in July 2005.

Of particular relevance to appraisal leads, medical directors and CEOs, the framework promotes the positive role of appraisal, and offers a realistic but achievable challenge for trusts/boards to assess their performance in implementing appraisal (and assessing its quality) in their organisation.

Below are links to useful websites and resources, which provide information and support for appraisal:

NHS
www.appraisalsupport.nhs.uk/downloads.asp

General Medical Council
http://www.gmc-uk.org/

British Medical Association
www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/content/appraisal