1. Dr Becky Gove CT1 Psychiatry - HEKSS
An Idiot’s Guide to the Annual Review of Competence and Progression (ARCP) for Core Trainees in Psychiatry
Start
Dr Becky Gove
CT1 Psychiatry - HEKSS

2. Menu Why do we have to go through the ARCP?
How do we satisfy the panel?
What happens prior to the ARCP?
Who is in an ARCP panel?
What happens on the day of the ARCP?
What are the possible outcomes?
For Less than Full Time Trainees
What happens next?
Useful links

3. Why do we have to go through the ARCP?
Think of it as your very own vital signs……it’s difficult to progress an assessment of a patient without these and it is difficult to progress your career without a satisfactory ARCP outcome
It documents a judgement and recommendation about whether your progress has been satisfactory
It provides feedback to you on your progress
It ensures public safety in demonstrating that doctors are properly trained
Links in with revalidation which occurs every 5 years and at Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) for doctors once they are fully licensed to practise (ie. F2 and above)
The responsible officer involved in revalidation will use the ARCP documentation to recommend revalidation to the GMC

4. How do we satisfy the panel? (1)
By demonstrating the good work you have done via your eportfolio
Completion of work based assessments. Start early and try and gain more than the minimum recommendations
Ensure your educational supervisor’s level 1 report for both placements for that year have been completed. This is a fairly long document so may take more than one sitting
Upload a current, dated, Curriculum Vitae.
Upload your current GMC certificate. You can access this via your login at the General Medical Council’s website.
Upload letters of thanks/complaints to your eportfolio (anonymise these!)
Show evidence of engagement with the MRCPsych examinations

5. How do we satisfy the panel? (2)
LEADER form - one for each of your placements. Available for download at the bottom of this webpage:
Evidence of research, audit and teaching
Evidence of engagement with Balint Group - Case Based Discussion Group Assessment (CBDGA)
Evidence of competency with psychotherapy cases - Structured Assessment of Psychotherapy Expertise (SAPE)
Engagement with courses and conferences
Reflections. Aim for one per month at least
Complete your enhanced Form R
Completion of the GMC National Trainee Survey, upload your completion code to your eportfolio
List of absences

6. What happens prior to the ARCP?
An interim review takes place roughly 6 months prior to the ARCP. You will meet with the Training Programme Director who will review with you how you are doing and advise you at the end of the meeting if your progress so far means you will need to attend the ARCP in person and in which case you are potentially going to receive an unsatisfactory outcome (see later). A training plan will be made at this stage leading up to ARCP.
2 weeks prior to the ARCP all of your evidence must be uploaded to your eportfolio otherwise your outcome will be affected.
Any ongoing complaints or investigations should be declared and those previously resolved should have been reflected on in your eportfolio. These should not make the event easily identifiable but draw on personal conclusions without assigning blame.
The evidence used includes that in your eportfolio, interim reviews, supervisor reports, teaching and Balint group attendance, exam results and coverage of the speciality curriculum.

7. Who is in an ARCP panel? There must be at least three people
One of these three must be the Head of School, the Postgraduate Dean (or deputy) or a Training Programme Director
Other appropriate members include speciality school representatives, deanery representatives, employer representatives
The panel will also have input from a lay advisor (a normal person who has been given training in the ARCP process). The lay member’s role is to ensure that the process of the ARCP is being followed in the correct way as opposed to giving an opinion on your outcome
If a panel member is a supervisor of you and has concerns about you then they will withdraw temporarily from the process while your outcome is being discussed

8. What happens on the day of the ARCP?
You should have been informed prior to the ARCP panel date if there is a risk that you will be given an unsatisfactory outcome
Although some outcomes are referred to as “unsatisfactory”, often the need for an extension, or particular focussed training, will have been planned and agreed between the doctor, the educational supervisor, and the training program director,  so that a positive plan comes to the ARCP panel for agreement
As a result of this pre-warning you may be asked to be present on the day
You will not be present for the ARCP discussion of your outcome but you may be invited to meet with the panel afterwards to discuss your outcome and to talk about the next steps
Satisfactory outcomes are outcome 1 or 6, outcomes 2-5 are unsatisfactory
Each unsatisfactory outcome comes with an explanatory code eg. U5 = single exam failure

9. What are the possible outcomes?
1) Satisfactory Progress
2) Development of specific competences required
3) Inadequate progress
4) Released from training programme
5) Incomplete evidence presented
6) Gained all the required competences
7) Fixed-term posts
8) Out of programme
N) No outcome

10. Outcome 1: Satisfactory Progress
Achieving progress and the development of competences at the expected rate
You are doing just fine and achieving your competences at the rate required of you

11. Outcome 2: Development of specific competences required
Additional training time not required
Your overall progress has been acceptable but you have some competences that need to be further developed
You will receive, in writing, the specific further development that is required usually with a timetable to do this
If you meet these specifics then your training programme length will not need to be extended

12. Outcome 3: Inadequate progress
Additional training time required
You will need to complete a formal additional period of training which will lengthen the time you spend in training
Usually six months but may be less, or tied to attaining a particular competence e.g. an exam pass.
A further extension beyond the six months is only agreed in special circumstances, confirmed by the Postgraduate Dean as being exceptional
You can have your training extended by a period of one year over the course of your training (core and higher training)

13. Outcome 4: Released from training programme
With or without specified competences
Following an outcome 3 and additional training time if you have still not made adequate progress you will be asked to leave the training programme

14. Outcome 5: Incomplete evidence presented
Additional training time may be required
You have not submitted the required evidence in order for the panel to make a decision about you
Within 5 days of the panel you will have to write to the panel explaining why you have not provided them with the documentation needed
You will then be informed of the time limit in which you need to provide them with the evidence needed
If you forget to complete and submit your form R you will be given an outcome 5!

15. Outcome 6: Gained all the required competences
Will be recommended as having completed the training programme (core or specialty) and if in a run-through training programme or higher training programme, will be recommended for award of a CCT/CESR(CP)/CEGPR(CP)
Well done you!

16. Outcome 7: Fixed-term posts
(e.g. LATs)
7 is used as a prefix for trainees in LAT posts
The suffix is .1,.2,.3 as outcomes described above however 7.4 means that you have not provided sufficient evidence and not that you are leaving the training programme

17. Outcome 8: Out of programme
Out of programme for clinical experience, research or a career break (OOPE/OOPR/OOPC)
To be used if you are currently taking a break from training for any of the reasons listed
You will still need to provide the panel with evidence of what you are doing with your time, usually a form or a report depending on what you are doing

18. Outcome N: No outcome
You will not receive an outcome if you are absent due to maternity or sick leave or where your training has been suspended

19. For Less than Full Time Trainees
Your ARCP will take place annually with everyone else
Your progress will be assessed proportionately with how much you are working (eg. 60%)

20. Unsatisfactory outcome
What happens next?
Satisfactory outcome
Unsatisfactory outcome

21. Satisfactory outcome
If you have received an outcome 1 or 6 then give yourself a pat on the back and carry on with your training or enjoy your consultant post!

22. Unsatisfactory outcome
Follow the recommendations made by the panel and engage with your local training programme director, educational supervisor and employer in order to plan how you will achieve the required competences
If you do not agree with the outcome then you can request a review or you can appeal
A review is where the original panel reconsiders whether their original decision was appropriate
An appeal is where a different individual/group to the original panel considers the original decision of the panel and reviews any new evidence provided
For outcome 2 you can request a review but you cannot appeal
For outcome 3 or 4 you can request an appeal and you have a right to address the appeal panel with or without a representative

23. Useful links
HEKSS School of Psychiatry Core Trainee Handbook 2015/2016:
HEKSS ARCP requirements:
RCPsych Core Curriculum:
RCPsych Work Place Based Assessment Guide:
The Gold Guide: A reference guide for postgraduate speciality training in the UK:

24. Are you sure that you want to exit?
Yes No