Improving Appraisal Uptake amongst SAS Doctors How we have achieved 97% at GHNHSFT Dr Nicol Vaidya SAS Tutor/Appraiser

Revalidation Support Team Organisational Readiness Document 2011-12 The RST published the document covering the year up to 31st march 2012 was published in Aug 2012 This showed that 85% of doctors have a designated responsible officer in a body with an appraisal process meeting revalidation requirements There was a huge disparity between appriasal uptake amongst various doctor groups

Appraisal Uptake

GHNHSFT background Medium sized DGH Have 400 Consultants and 98 SAS doctors Current Appraisal process – RO, Appraisal Lead, 2 P/T Appraisal administrators, 36 Appraisers Last year we achieved 97% uptake in appraisal amongst SAS Doctors and 95% amongst Consultants.

So how did we do it?

Organisational Buy-In Appointment of Appraisal Lead Senior member of staff, experienced appraiser, Appraisal Support Staff Administrative staff sending out reminders, dealing with queries, organising patient/colleague feedback Culture of Appraisal Appraisal participation is the ‘norm’, appraisers have allocated Pas, expected that departments will have appraisers, SAS Representation on Appraisal Steering Group Helps identify issues specific to SAS group.

Organisational Buy-In No disparity between Consultants and SAS Doctors Lends validity to time taken by SAS doctors in appraisal preparation Requirement to link Appraisal with Job Plan reviews and draft PDPs Meeting with Speciality Director engages SAS doctors in the departmental aims Linking Appraisal to eligibility for ACCEA

Engaging with SAS Doctors Use of SAS Education team to raise awareness amongst SAS Doctors Educational sessions about appraisal included in induction sessions for new starters, sessions offered for long term staff One to One sessions With Educationalist/SAS tutor for doctors who have not engaged, Portfolio development Sessions Portfolios reviewed & areas of improvement suggested

Engaging with SAS Doctors Workshops Reflective writing sessions open to all clinicians run by SAS team Professional Generic Skills e.g. leadership, change management, service development, ethical and legal issues Appointing SAS doctors as Appraisers With appropriate SPA time in job plan.

Lessons to be learnt? Treat SAS doctors as Senior Medical Staff Give them Appropriate Support in terms of Education and Time De-mystify Appraisal/Revalidation Foster a culture of Appraisal Make SAS doctors the frontrunners