ARCP

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

The Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) replaces the old ‘RITA’ process and is a mechanism of recording a trainee’s progression through their training programme.The Psychiatry ARCP is a face-to-face process to establish whether a trainee’s requirements are being met. Training to date, future training and knowledge and skills are all reviewed. This is also an opportunity for Training Programme Directors to establish whether competencies are being met to progress through their training programme.  

The ARCP is a formal process where a panel reviews evidence of progress to evaluate whether the competencies required are being achieved at an appropriate rate. Trainees are notified of the ARCP's in early April and are advised to provide a portfolio of evidence for the assessment of both performance and experience. Please see relevant documents attached to this page.

Interim Review

Trainees who have completed 5/6 months of their training will be invited to attend an Interim Review instead of the ARCP on the same day - please see the 'Psych June 6 month Interim Review form' paperwork attached. The Chair of the Panel will be able to assess your progress based on the evidence you present on your e-portfolio.

Revalidation

Preparations for revalidation are progressing and it has been decided by the GMC, following a national pilot with all deaneries, that the ARCP and Interim Review process will be the vehicle to achieve this.  Please read 'frequently asked questions' here: http://kssdeanery.org/specialty/revalidation/FAQs

ARCP 2012 Dates

• Friday 8th June & Monday 11th June 2012 (Kent) - Maidstone Hospital, Alan Pentacost Room, Post Graduate Centre, Hermitage Lane, ME16 9QQ

• Thursday 14th June 2012 (Surrey) - Farnham Road Hospital, Seminar Room 1, Education Centre, Guilford, GU2 7LX

• Tuesday 19th June & Tuesday 3rd July 2012 (Sussex) - Mill View Hospital, Seminar Room 1, Education Centre, Nevill Avenue Hove, BN3 7HY

ARCP / Interim Review Documentation

Trainees are advised to bring the following supporting documentation or upload their evidence to e-portfolio in time for their ARCP :-

• Form R
• Current & Dated CV
• ARCP Structured Report
• Educational Supervisors Report
• Current GMC Certificate / Registration
• Relevant part of College Examination
• Completed at least one Leadership Workplace based assessment e.g.  LEADER form (attached) 
• Completed the Clinical Leadership Online Survey Monkey

Trainees complete a ARCP Structured Report which emphasizes the learning, experience and competencies met through the training received to date. The report also acts as key information for the panel. For a copy of the ARCP Structured Report please see the list of documents to download below.

The Competency Based Curriculum for Specialist Core Training in Psychiatry is the document which sets out generic knowledge, skills & attitudes that is believed common to all psychiatric specialities. For a copy of the Competency Based Curriculum for Specialist Core and Advanced Training please see the list of documents to download for the new curriculumfor 2010.

There is a blue print for core module assessment of the postgraduate psychiatric curriculum. This includes assessment methods under each intended learning outcome/competency. If you would like to download the blueprint form the list of documents below.

The Portfolio framework is suitable for trainees at all stages of training and can be modified to suit individual requirements. The portfolio is used to document evidence in training, learning and experience and is also used to track training outcomes and to record achievements.

The portfolio is an important part of the ARCP process, please use the 'Portfolio Framework' document to download below to see an example of how how best to structure your portfolio.

ePortfolio

• On the online Portfolio ensure all details on your profile are correct, in particular your email address and GMC number. The website can be found on: https://training.rcpsych.ac.uk/
• For every post you should have a minimum of 2 appraisals with your clinical supervisor, beginning and end of post, with a further mid-term appraisal being desirable.
• Each competency sign off by your educational (and likely to be clinical) supervisor must be supported by evidence. Therefore you want to ensure your ePortfolio is packed full of evidence and reflects your clinical and other activities.
• This evidence will come from workplace-based assessments (WPBA), log entries, audit, teaching attendance, other educational events, your own teaching, conferences, research etc. In addition, you should complete the self-assessment for each competency and support your comments with evidence that you feel is relevant to support any sign off.
• You must ensure you do enough WPBAs – there are minimum requirements for each ARCP stage but we would advise to do more.
• You should ensure your WPBAs are done by the most senior doctor, preferably a consultant, or associate specialist.
• You must have your assessments done by a variety of people.
• The MSF is very important and one of the most informative tools; you must ensure at least 12 respondents for this to be meaningful, ideally 20; at least 4 of the respondents should be consultants. Please ensure the person completing the MSF understands what they are doing - saying yes to probity issues by being careless in completion can have major implications.
• You should keep a record of your teaching attendance. The educational and teaching attendance log should name the teaching session, who it was delivered by and three main things you have learnt. This applies to all teaching sessions but also other educational activity such as on-line learning.
• You should record any absences from work on your ePortfolio – this will be cross-referenced with medical staffing records. This is further mandated by your sign off of your probity and health declarations. Therefore every time you are absent for reasons of sickness/compassionate leave etc you must ensure medical staffing are informed for their records.
• You should ensure you have a PDP discussed with your educational supervisor, regularly updated and added to for changing needs.
• Audit is important, audit activity needs to be demonstrated, most importantly evidence of completion of an audit cycle yearly.
• Remember to use the online ePortfolio to demonstrate areas of excellence - quality evidence and quality documentation is important.
• The annual GMC survey is mandatory and you will need to provide evidence that you have completed this.
• Currently MRCPsych membership is required by the end of CT3 but it is strongly advised you get on with this. You should try to have achieved Paper 1 or 2 by the end of CT1, preferably both by the end of CT2. You should then complete Paper 3 and CASC by the end of CT3. Also having membership prior to your ST4 applications will also put you in a much stronger position.
• All documentation for the ARCP or Interim Review must be uploaded to the trainees ePortfolio so that it can be viewed by panellists on the day of the ARCP.