South West School of Primary Care

Introduction to the RCGP ePortfolio & Assessments

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

All Postgraduate Doctors in training are required to undertake an Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) to demonstrate that they are making satisfactory progress for their current stage of training with the necessary evidence present.

The Annual Review is a formally defined process within the curriculum in which your progress in the training programme is assessed and measured using a range of defined and validated assessment tools, along with the professional and triangulated judgements of the Medical Faculty.

You can expect to receive a notification email 6 weeks before your ARCP, though the date is often visible on the ePortfolio Training Map in advance.

For doctors in training who are working full time and have not experienced any breaks in their training (long term sick leave, parental leave, etc), their annual and final ARCP dates will fall in sync, normally 4-8 weeks before the end of their training year/stage. All the minimum requirements for WPBA should be completed in time for the ARCP evidence deadline.

For doctors in training who are working LTFT or who are out-of-sync with their full time colleagues due to breaks in their training, their annual ARCP date may no longer fall in sync with the gateway between training years. ARCP panels are run every month, and progress can be assessed at any point in the training year/stage. Your WPBA will be assessed pro rata, for the number of whole time equivalent (WTE) months of training completed.

The ARCP panel will take place remotely by Microsoft Teams videocall. If you are required to attend the panel, you will be notified with instructions one week before the meeting date indicated in your notification email.

If you are unable to complete any of the required evidence by the deadline date, please let us know on england.gpassessment.sw@nhs.net so that the panel can be informed.

Please see p73 of the Gold Guide for more information on ARCP Outcomes. If you have any questions or queries regarding the ARCP process, please get in touch.

Requirements & Mandatory Evidence Summary

To check that your WPBA Requirements are up to date before your ARCP Panel evidence deadline, we recommend comparing your ePortfolio Requirements screen to the helpful RCGP Requirements and Mandatory Evidence Summary and Tracker (PDF file, 349 KB) In the tracker, please note that each WPBA listed is hyperlinked to more detailed RCGP guidance and summarised below:

WPBA / log entry	ST1	ST2		ST3	Total

WPBA - Workplace Based Assessments
Mini-CEX / COTs all types	4	4		7	15
CbDs / CATs	4	4		5	13
MSF	1 (with 10 responses)	1 (with 10 responses)		2 (1 MSF, 1 Leadership MSF )	4
CSR	1 per post	1 per post		1 per post	1 per post
PSQ	0	0		1	1
CEPS	Ongoing: some appropriate to post (including some 'system'/'other' CEPS)	Ongoing: some appropriate to post (including some 'system'/'other' CEPS)		Ongoing: some appropriate to post (including some 'system'/'other' CEPS)	6 mandatory CEPS signed off as competent to perform unsupervised plus a range (more than 2) of "system" CEPS
Learning Logs A range of logs should be completed, to capture all capabilities and should be recorded in the different learning log formats available,
Clinical Case Reviews (patient encounters)	36	36		36	108
Placement Planning Meeting	1 per post	1 per post		1 per post	1 per post
QIP	1 (if in GP)	1 (if in GP) – if not done in ST1		0	1
QIA	1 (if no GP in ST1)	1 (if project was in ST1)		1	2
Significant Event	Only if reaches GMC threshold of potential or actual serious harm to patients-any Fitness to practise issues should be considered and commented upon. Must be declared on Form R.
Learning Event Analysis	1	1		1	3
Prescribing Assessment	0	0		1	1
Prescribing (reflection)	0	0		1 (after assessment)	1
Leadership	0	0		1	1
Urgent & Unscheduled Care (all UUSC evidence should be linked to the Urgent and unscheduled care clinical experience group)
UUSC passport	In GP posts in ST1/2 map any UUSC work including OOH shifts against the capabilities on the UUSC passport and attach it to a Supporting Documentation/CPD log entry		In ST3 add to the same UUSC passport your ST3 UUSC work including OOH shifts and attach it to a Supporting Documentation/CPD log entry		By Final ARCP the UUSC passport should map your best UUSC evidence against all capabilities with an ES comment of support
For all OOH sessions	complete an UUSC log sheet and attach this to a Supporting Documentation/CPD log entry.
An ESR should be signed off every 6 calendar months in training
Interim ESR	Can be used between ARCPs if progress is satisfactory
ESR	A full ESR is required within 8 weeks of ARCP, the ARCP cannot take place without it.
Personal Development Plans (Action plans & PDP combined)	3 proposed in each 6m review related to capabilities and one not related. At least one of each type achieved in each year.				The Final ESR must include PDPs for your first 6–12 months post-CCT
Child and adult safeguarding
Level 3 certificates	Child & Adult level 3 certificates must be completed and in date for the whole of GP training, they will normally need to be repeated every 3 years.*
Annual knowledge update	Required for Child & Adult if level 3 was completed over 12 months ago This can be done through eLearning, attending local workshops and safeguarding meetings, looking at the RCGP toolkits
Reflective learning logs	A reflective log for both Child Safeguarding & Adult Safeguarding should be added by the end of each stage of training (ST1, ST2, ST3). Ideally theses logs should be a reflection on the learning from a case they have been involved in and how they applied their Safeguarding knowledge to their practice. If the doctor has not been directly involved in clinical cases on safeguarding, this can be achieved through attending local safeguarding meetings, group discussions, webinars, reading about cases for example and adding reflections on those. It needs to include a demonstration of knowledge, key safeguarding information, and the appropriate action to take if there are any concerns.
CPR and AED training	the requirement for CPR & AED is an annual face to face course approved by the Resuscitation Council. BLS & ALS are both suitable. The following elements must be clear from the evidence of course attendance you provide: Ø Your name. Ø The course was face to face. Ø Covered both Adult & Child Life Support. Ø Covered the use of AED. If a certificate is not available, screengrabs can be used in conjunction with a course attendance confirmation email or a supporting evidence learning log linked to the Compliance Passport, declaring the elements that were covered.
Form R	A new completed Form R is required for every ARCP - please complete all of Part A and Part B. Both parts of the form should then be uploaded to the Compliance Passport on your ePortfolio no earlier than 5 weeks before your ARCP date.
Annual Review of Competence Progression Takes place every 12 calendar months (min)	Check you are on track for all of the above plus any requirements on your last ARCP form even if an Outcome 1.	Check you are on track for all of the above plus any requirements on your last ARCP form even if an Outcome 1.		Check you are on track for all of the above plus any requirements on your last ARCP form even if an Outcome 1.	3 (minimum)

Preparing for ARCP

Requirements for All Types of ARCP

Requirements for Final ARCP

Requirements for ATC/Combined training applicants

Requirements for Academic ARCP

Requirements for OOP ARCP

Requirements for All Types of ARCP

For all types of ARCP the following evidence is required:

A full Educational Supervisor Review (an interim ESR is not valid before an ARCP) completed no earlier than 8 weeks before your ARCP date. Your ESR should include a PDP review and SMART PDP objectives should be set for the next review period.

Any evidence linked to UUSC should be updated on an UUSC passport and attached to the portfolio as ‘supporting documentation’ learning log prior to each ARCP.

The following should all be linked to the Compliance Passport on your ePortfolio:

Please complete your Form R (Parts A & B) via TIS Self Service (TSS) at https://trainee.tis.nhs.uk/. Please do not complete the word document copy as it will not be accepted.

Once you have completed your Form R on the TIS Self Service System, please download a copy of both parts of the Form R as a PDF and upload to the Compliance Passport on your ePortfoliono earlier than 5 weeks before your ARCP date.

A Wider Scope of Practice form should be completed for each role you undertake in your capacity as registered medical practitioner outside of your training. If completed, please can you also upload this to the Form R section of your Compliance Passport on your ePortfolio

CPR & AED Certification you must demonstrate competence in CPR and AED use for all of your placements. An annual face to face BLS or ALS workshop or training session meets this requirement. The panel will expect to see your certification in date. It must be clear from your evidence that the course:

Was face to face.
Covered Child Life Support.
Covered the use of AED.

L3 Safeguarding Adults & Children online training is available via the RCGP Training Resources or e-Learning for Health Level 3 should be repeated every 3 years.

Safeguarding reflections. In addition to your Child & Adult Safeguardingtraining, there should be a reflective log entry for both adults and children each year of training, demonstrating your experience and capability in this area. You can reflect on a particular case if helpful.

Safeguarding Annual Knowledge updates. If the date on your Safeguarding L3 certificates is older than 12m you must add evidence of learning through an annual knowledge update. This can be done through eLearning, attending local workshops, attendance at a practice safeguarding meeting or looking at the RCGP toolkits.

Please read through your last ARCP form to remind yourself if the panel listed any specific requirements to be met for your next ARCP. This is essential if you received a non-standard ARCP Outcome.

Final ARCP

For Final ARCP the following evidence is also required:

If you commenced the GP training programme after 2020 you will not normally be registered with the Performers List. PCSE advise that you should complete the applicant registration approximately 3 months before CCT.

Alongside completion of your WPBA, the evidence required prior to your panel date also includes:
In your ESR, doctors in training are being asked to ensure they have three pieces of evidence referenced from the ST3 year that supports their self-rating of progress. You cannot link those done in a previous review but can mention them in the free text you write.

The ESR needs to mark your CPR & AED Certification & L3 Safeguarding Adults & Children sections as ‘met’ if the appropriate evidence has been supplied on your ePortfolio. Please check those elements are up to date and meet the requirements before you sign off the checklist.

The PDP in your Final ESR should include SMART PDP Objectives to take forwards post-CCT.

Demonstrate capability to care for patients presenting in UUSC through both in-hours and out of hours settings

Any learning for patients in Urgent and Unscheduled care on your portfolio – whether a Clinical Case review, COT, CBD etc. should be linked to the Clinical Experience Group – Urgent and Unscheduled care.

Your most relevant evidence linked to UUSC should be updated on an UUSC passport mapped against the 5 UUSC capability areas and attached to the portfolio as ‘supporting documentation’ learning log before the deadline.

All UUSC Session Log sheets should also be attached to a Supporting Evidence log and linked to the Clinical Experience Group – Urgent and Unscheduled care. Add the capabilities you have demonstrated

Should you be given an Outcome 6 at the panel your contact details will be passed on to our colleagues in the Performers List, the post-CCT revalidation and appraisal team and the Training Hubs to ensure you have access to support as a newly qualified GP.

ATC/Combined training applicants

If you have applied to use previous experience to shorten your training programme you will have an ARCP at 6 whole time equivalent (wte) months into the training programme.

You will be required to have completed approximately 6 months’ worth of ST1 WPBA at that panel:

WPBA	6m Requirement
Clinical Case Reviews	18
Mini-CEX / COT / Audio-COT	2
CbD	2
Placement Planning Meeting	1 per post
CSR	1 per post
MSF	1
Learning Event Analysis	1
QIA if hospital or ITP post	1
QIP if in a 6m GP post	1

Academic ARCP

Along with the requirements applicable to an Annual or Final ARCP you will also require an ACF Academic Report for GP ARCPs. The completed report should be attached to an Academic Activities Learning Log.

OOP ARCP

For an OOPC, if no work was undertaken in the role of a medical practitioner, including locum work, then only a Form R is required. If work was undertaken as a medical practitioner, a Wider Scope of Practice Form will also need to be completed.

For OOPE you will require a Form R and an OOP Supervisor report.

If you don’t have access to your ePortfolio whilst Out of Programme please email your documents to england.gpassessment.sw@nhs.net and we will attach them to an Educators Note.

Pre-panel admin checks

The Assessment Administration Team will aim to complete a pre-panel check a week before the evidence deadline and add an Educator Note to your portfolio if they find anything is missing. Only Educational & Clinical Supervisors, TPDs & ADs looking at your WPBA and can assess the quality of the content found on your ePortfolio.

So, the ARCP Panel will look at all your WPBA. In the Assessment Administration Team, we only check that following elements are visible and clear:

ESR

Has a full ESR been signed off?
Has the DiT also signed off the ESR?
Are there any skipped ESRs (the lozenges are still grey, not green/amber)?

Form R

Have both parts been completed in the correct format on TIS, downloaded as a PDF and uploaded to the Compliance Passport?

Have all parts of the Form R been completed correctly?

Does the TOOT declaration in the Form R match the self-declared TOOT in posts for the same review period?

Only TOOT during the current review period should be included, so TOOT that has occurred since the last Form R was completed.

If there were locum shifts has a Wider Scope of Practice form been added?

CPR/AED

Is there evidence of a suitable face to face course in the last 12 months?

Is it clear from the evidence that the course:
- Was face to face.
- Covered both Adult & Child Life Support.
- Covered the use of AED.

Is the DiT name and date visible on the evidence?

Adult and Child Safeguarding Requirements

Are there L3 Adult and Child Safeguarding certificates that are less than 3 years old?

If either of theL3 Adult and Child Safeguarding certificates are more than 12m old, is there evidence of an Annual Knowledge Update?

Is there a reflective log entry for both adults and children in each stage of training, demonstrating experience and capability in this area?

Urgent & Unscheduled Care

How many entries are linked to the UUSC Clinical experience group since the beginning of training?

Is there an UUSC passport?

Clinical Examination and Procedural Skills (CEPS)

How many of the 6 mandatory intimate CEPS have been signed off as Competent to perform unsupervised since the beginning of training?

How many of the recommended system CEPS have been signed off since the beginning of training?

How many CEPS have been signed off in the last 12 months?

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/wpba

This page was last updated May 15th 2025 (16 days ago)