Assessment / Appraisal.

The majority of trainees are capable of self-directed learning and progression within the positive, supportive and encompassing training environment that exists across the School.

The programmes are designed to deliver the GMC approved curricular and all trainees will be assessed against these parameters. Part of the quality assurance of this progress is the regular and dedicated assessment and appraisal framework that exists. This is designed to reassure trainees, and to provide feedback to trainers, helping to direct specific areas of training. The process is also enables the School to identify any areas of development, and thereby amend training programmes as necessary.

Overall, assessment and appraisal are set to encourage and support trainees in striving for excellence.

Educational Supervisors (ES).

The ES is a trainer who is selected and appropriately trained to be responsible for the overall supervision and management of a specified trainee's educational progress during a training placement or series of placements. The ES will have completed specific modules of training designed to develop their skills in trainee appraisal, generalised supervision, review of WBA, etc. He/she will strive to identify and assist any trainee experiencing difficulty.

The ES will conduct face to face reviews with trainees at least three times per year. These will include a review of WBAs, progress against the curriculum, exam progression and the educational needs of the trainee. The ES will also oversee the multi-source feedback process and lead on personal development planning and supporting reflective learning.

Clinical Supervisors (CS)

These are trainers selected and appropriately trained to be responsible for overseeing trainees' laboratory and clinical work. They will provide constructive feedback during a training placement. They may assist/ perform WBAs.

Feedback

We run a constant process of quality assurance in order to maintain and improve upon the quality of training. Paramount to this is the input of trainees who should take part in systems of quality assurance and quality improvement in their clinical work and training, by responding to requests for feedback on the quality of training. These include the GMC National Trainee Survey in addition to the Health Education England local trainee Survey.

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

ARCP panels consider the evidence of training during the previous year, and are primarily driven by the Educational Supervisor's (ES) review of trainee progress. Within the School of Pathology the main annual ARCP assessments will take place for all trainees in May/June from 2023, regardless of when your last interim review took place. An interim panel is held in January and ad-hoc ARCPs will be held in the intervening period if required for individual circumstances. There is external validation of the process and lay representation when needed. Trainees themselves are responsible for managing their portfolio and providing the evidence for the Educational Supervisor reviews.

The process is described fully in Section 7 of the Gold Guide. This has been further refined by the Royal College of Pathologists which has produced generic ARCP guidance to take into account the different Stages of Specialty Training: https://www.rcpath.org/trainees/assessment.html

The trainee's learning portfolio provides the evidence of progress, and should be updated throughout the training year. it is the trainee's responsibility to ensure that the documentary evidence is complete in good time for the ARCP. HEE will provide trainees with a notification of their ARCP date approximately 12-weeks prior to ARCP and confirm an evidence deadline (usually 2-weeks prior to the ARCP date).  Please ensure that your evidence is recorded by this date as the panel may start reviewing portfolios and evidence posted after the deadline may not be considered. 

Please refer to the Royal College for guidance on the number of Work Place Based Assessments that are required to be completed for your ARCP, trainees should note that any assessments completed after the submission date may not be counted towards their annual ARCP. Failure to complete the required amount of WPBAs or submit the documentation required can result an unsatisfactory outcome.

The review will chart your progress to date and will identify any specific training needs for the future. The outcome of the review will be recorded on the ARCP form and retained in your training record file. We advise that you share the information relating to your ARCP outcome with your Educational Supervisor to facilitate your ongoing personal development plan, Your TPD will support you during this process, and guide your next phase of training.

ARCPs are now conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams and trainee attendance is no longer required.

Trainees who receive an outcome (3, 10.2 or 4) will have the outcome confirmed by Programme Support and a panel member (usually their TPD) will contact them soon after to arrange a feedback meeting at a mutually convenient time. 

Upcoming ARCP Dates:

All trainee will receive confirmation of their ARCP date with approximately 12-weeks notice. 

CCT Calculator

The ARCP panel must record your current trajectory with respect to the curriculum, and provide a current CCT date. This can change for a wide variety of reasons, and can be difficult to keep track of. It is therefore essential that you complete and regularly update a CCT calculator (please see the downloads section at the bottom of this page), and verify this with your Educational Supervisor, as part of your ARCP submission. If in doubt please also check this with your TPD.

Documentation required by the ARCP panel:

All trainees must complete a Form R (Part B) prior to ARCP each year. This includes trainees on statutory leave (parental/sick leave). Please note that it is the sole responsibility of the trainee to complete and submit a Form R (Part B) to both LLP and Programme Support.
The Form R (Part B) currently in use is a Word document with an optional Covid addendum. The Covid addendum should be completed to inform the reviewing panel, HEE and your ES if the Covid pandemic has affected your training. If no addendum is submitted the panel cannot take Pandemic disruption into consideration and award a 10.1 or 10.2 outcome. 

Please note: opening the Form R (Part B) in Pages for Mac, will cause the Word Document to lose important formatting (check boxes).
If you do not have access to Microsoft Word, a free-to-use online version is available at the following link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web