Arranging an ARCP

ARCP events will take place twice a year (July and January) according to start date.  In only rare exceptions will they be held outside this time. 

You will be contacted around six weeks in advance by the School Administrator with an appointment.  If you expected to receive an appointment and did not please get in touch.

What is an ARCP?

The Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) takes place annually, ideally around the anniversary of the commencement of training.  The previous year’s training documentation is reviewed and an outcome is issued to the Postgraduate Dean. 

The Gold Guide (available on the MMC Website) has further details of the process.

Although the review of paperwork is usually performed once a year, the accruing of paperwork is an ongoing process.  Please note that for trainees who need additional training time (e.g. for exam reasons) ARCPs may occur more frequently but will still require all of the documentation.

The ARCP process will be run jointly by the London Deanery and the School. 

What happens at an ARCP

On the day a panel of two or three consultants will review the paperwork that you present.  They will then issue a recommended outcome to the Dean. 

Common outcomes are:-

• Outcome 1 if there is evidence of satisfactory progression.


• Outcome 3 signifies that inadequate progress has been made by the trainee and that additional training time will be required.  Commonly this is due to examination failure - the Primary must be passed before entry into StR3 and the Final before StR 5.  In addition an Outcome 3 can be given for lack of evidence of attainment of core competences (for example to pass into StR5 a trainee must have ITU, Pain, Paediatric, Obstetric, Neuro and Cardiac signed off) or rarely if Workplace Based Assessments are not sufficient in number or quality.


• Outcome 5 is issued when incomplete evidence is presented to the panel so additional time may or may not be required.  Commonly this is due to forgetting paperwork(such as Educational Supervisor Reports or Workplace Based Assessments) or awaiting a few last pieces of documentation (because there is still time left in a placement).

If the outcome is not Outcome 1 then you will be invited to a short meeting at the Deanery Table to discuss the implications.

The Central School has a further station with the Training Programme Director (TPD). This will allow you to feedback opinions and to plan future rotations.

Slots are booked with 15 minute appointments, but the process may take up to an hour.

What must I bring with me?

You must bring your Training Portfolio .  The panel will be unable to review your progress if you fail to bring the documentation listed below and this will result in you being prevented from progressing to the next / final stage of your training.

We will expect paper copies of this evidence until the e-Portfolio is fully functioning.  It is helpful if your portfolio is indexed, so that the relevant sections are easily identifiable by the panel. 

1. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae


2. Educational Supervisor Report signed off by College Tutor – one form to be completed for each placement undertaken since the last ARCP.  You must keep the originals but bring a copy for the panel.  You must bring a report for the job you are currently in, even if it is a mid-term report.


3. Form R – This will have been sent to you.  It contains demographic information to be checked (in particular address, telephone number and e-mail ), amended where necessary, and signed.


4. All correspondence from the Deanery and the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA)


5. Evidence of Specialist Training registration with the RCoA


6. Copies of ARCP outcome forms from previous ARCPs


7. Up-to-date Annualised RCoA Summaries of Log Book – plus anonymised case load relating to year being assessed.


8. Anaesthetic Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Anaes-CEX) – completed since last review (4 per 6 month period)


9. Directly Observed Procedural Skills (DOPS) – completed since last review (6 per 6 month period)


10. Case Based Discussion (CBD) – completed since last review (2 per 6 month period)


11. Multi-Source Feedback (MSF) – completed since last review (These are done in Year 1 and 6 and when requested)
    
    


Please note that Workplaced Based Assessments need to be done even if you are doing extra training time



12. List of internal teaching and external courses (with certificates) completed since last review


13. List of audits attended, handout of audit presentations and evidence of presentation – completed since last review


14. Evidence of research undertaken since last review


15. Evidence of publications since last review


16. Evidence of any Out of Programme Time (i.e. only if the time counts towards CCT) taken with a 400 word summary


17. Letters of thanks / commendations
18. Details of any formal complaints or grievances


19. Record of sick, carer, paternal or maternity leave taken over year, plus the total taken during training to date

The process is taken seriously by the School and consequently it should be treated in a professional manner - appropriate dress, adequate time booked off and complete preparation of paperwork is expected.

RITA Information

RITAs (Record of In-Training Assessment) is the process thatapplies to trainees who started prior to 2007. Trainees appointed before this date will continue to have RITAs and not ARCPs.

Trainees experience the RITA process annually, usually on the anniversary of the commencement of their training.  The previous year’s training documentation is reviewed and an outcome is issued to the Postgraduate Dean.  The Department of Health document known as the Orange Guide has further details.

The process is taken seriously by the School and consequently it should be treated in a professional manner - appropriate dress, adequate time booked off and complete preparation of paperwork is expected.

Although the review of paperwork is usually performed once a year, the accruing of paperwork is an ongoing process.  Please note that for trainees who need additional training time (e.g. for exam reasons) RITAs may occur more frequently but will still require all of the documentation.

The RITA process will be run jointly by the London Deanery and the School.  RITA events will take place four times a year for the foreseeable future.  In only rare exceptions will they be held outside this time.  You will be contacted around six weeks in advance by the School Administrator with an appointment.  If you expect to receive an appointment and do not, please get in touch.

On the day, a panel of two or three consultants will review the paperwork that you present.  They will then issue a form to the Postgraduate Dean.  This will usually be a form C (Satisfactory Progression) or Form E (Recommendation for Intensified Supervision/Repeat Experience). The latter is commonly due to examination failure - the Final FRCA must be passed before entering SpR year 3 – but can be due to lack of obtaining core competencies (a trainee must have ITU, Pain, Paediatric, Obstetric, Neuro and Cardiac signed off before entering SpR year 3) or more rarely if end of attachment assessments are poor.

You must come with your Training Portfolio which must contain the evidence listed below.  Please note that the panel will be unable to review your progress if you fail to bring the documentation and this will result in you being prevented from progressing to the next / final stage of your training.  We will expect paper copies of this evidence until the e-Portfolio is fully functioning.  Please ensure your portfolio is indexed so that the relevant sections are easily identifiable by the panel. 

1) Up to date Curriculum Vitae. Please ensure the date appears on the cover.

2) Educational Supervisor Report signed off by College Tutor – one form to be completed for each placement undertaken since the last RITA.  You must bring a report for the job you are currently in, even if it is a mid-term report. You keep the originals but must bring a copy for the panel.

3) Form A – You will be asked to review your Form A on arrival. It contains demographic information to be checked (in particular address, telephone number and e-mail ), amended where necessary, and signed.

4) All correspondence from the Deanery and the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA).

5) Evidence of Specialist Training registration with the RCoA.

6) Copy of RITA outcome from previous RITA.

7) Up-to-date Annualised RCoA Summaries of Log Book – plus anonymised case load relating to year being assessed.  Please divide it up according to hospital. This needs to be in paper form.

8) List of internal teaching and external courses (with certificates) completed since last review

9) List of audits attended, handout of audit presentations and evidence of presentation – completed since last review

10) Evidence of research undertaken since last review

11) Evidence of publications since last review

12) Evidence of any Out of Programme Time taken with a 400 word summary.

13) Any letters of thanks / commendations, formal complaints or grievances

14) List of sick, carer, paternal or maternity leave taken over year, plus total taken during training to date



Although trainees are allocated 15 minute slots the whole process can take up to an hour.