Assessment
Trainer Selection
Educational allowance claims
Recruitment

Assessment

Question: Who do I need to contact for queries regarding my ARCP panel/ePortfolio or Workplace Based Assessment?
Answer: The GP Assessment Team: eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk. For any technical issues regarding your ePortfolio you may need to contact the RCGP helpdesk on 020 3188 7655.

Question: My educational supervisor is wrong on my ePortfolio, who can change this for me?
Answer: Contact the GP Assessment Team at eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk . They update all elements of your post details including Educational Supervisor, specialty, dates, location and trainer.

Question: My consultant (clinical supervisor) doesnt appear on ePortfolio?
Answer: Consultants are normally only added to ePortfolio if this is specifically requested (making them appear on your post list requires us to give them log in access to ePortfolio).  If your consultant wants access to your ePortfolio, please ask them to email eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk with their full name and GMC number.  The Assessment Team will then add them to ePortfolio.

Your consultant can complete your WPBAs (miniCEXs, CBDs etc) without logging in, using the Assessment Forms page (https://eportfolio.rcgp.org.uk/forms/).

Question: What are the deadlines for ARCP panels?
Answer: Annual Review of Competence Progression panels will occur annually before the end of each ST year, usually 6 to 8 weeks prior to your finish date. If you are a full time trainee starting in August, this will probably be at the beginning of June. All evidence (including ES Reviews) is required to be completed before your panel date.  All LTFT and ‘out of sync’ trainees will receive notifications which outline their panel requirements at least six weeks prior to their panel if not earlier.

ARCP Panels are required every 12 months, as well as prior to moving to the next ST year.  For example, if you started your training in August at 60%, you would have a panel 12 months later.  You would then have another panel 6-8 weeks before you move to the next ST year in April.  You should contact the GP Assessment Team (eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk) to find out when your Educational Supervisor Reviews should be completed and how many assessments will be required.

Question: Educational Supervisor Review(ESR) deadlines?
Answer: Although there is no official deadline for Mid year reviews, they should be dated and submitted around the beginning of February (for August starters). If the Educational Supervisor changes to someone new in the February post, the ES will lose access to the eportfolio so it is recommended that they complete the midpoint ESR prior to the end of the post.

End of year reviews must be submitted prior to the summer panel dates. If your ST year does not run from August to August, please contact the GP Assessment team for clarification: eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk.  

Question: Flexi-trainee queries regarding workplace based assessments and ES reviews?
Answer: If you are a part-time trainee and are not sure about your evidence requirements or when your ES reviews or ARCP panels will take place, please contact the GP Assessment team on eportfolio@londondeanery.ac.uk . Part-time trainees are also required to have a review every 6 months and an ARCP panel every year.

Question: VTR forms (1 and 2), where do I send these for signature/approval?
Answer: VTR/2 forms are used to record hospital posts that have been done prior to 1^st August 2007. VTR/1 forms are used to record GP training posts done before 1^st August 2007. For ITP (Integrated Training Posts) if the post is 50% or more in GP practice (timetabled), a VTR/1 is required. If not, a VTR/2 is required. In both cases the VTR form must be accompanied by a timetable. Before using these forms as part of your certification application you must get them endorsed by the relevant deaneries GP Director. To do this, please post them to: The GP Assessment Team, 3rd Floor, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DN. We take approximately 10 working days to process your forms and send them back to you.

Question:When and do I need to send in my Form R and to whom do I send it?
Answer: Form Rs are a requirement of the MRCGP. A Form R (including signed passport photo) is required at the beginning of each training year. Please send them to the GP Assessment Team, 3^rd Floor, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DN. Email reminders will be sent when Form Rs are due.

Question:Contacts with regards to certification?
Answer: If you have queries regarding your certification you can find details on the RCGP website or the GMC website.

RCGP Certification unit: email Certification@rcgp.org.uk or call 020 3188 7656.

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Trainer Selection

Question: How do I become a GP trainer?
Answer: There is a process which needs to happen in order to become a GP trainer.  The first is to complete the London Deanery Teaching The Teachers course.  Once this course has been successfully passed, you need to join your local trainer workshop group by contacting the workshop convenor (http://www.londondeanery.ac.uk/general-practice/before-training/after-recruitment/specialty-training-schemes-in-london).  Joining the trainer workshop will also put you in contact with your scheme programme directors.  You can then contact the deanery to obtain a trainer application form.  Once this is completed and returned to the Deanery a date for your practice visit can be arranged. Please note you need to have attended your trainer workshop for between 3 -6 months prior to your practice visit date. Please see the Resources for GP Educators and Practice Managers section for downloadable copies of the trainer application form.

Question: Where can I find the trainer application form?
Answer: The trainer application form can be found in the Resources for Educators webpage.  Please download the form to complete and return to the Deanery.  Please ensure you return all the supporting documents listed on the front page relevant to your practice visit.  All application forms and supporting documents have to be returned to the deanery no later than 3 weeks before the visit.  There is the likelihood that the visit will be cancelled if the forms are not received in time.

Question: What happens at a practice visit?
Answer: The visiting team will consist of: your local patch associate director (lead visitor) and local scheme programme director, another GP trainer from a neighbouring scheme and a practice manager and will expect to interview the following: any trainer(s) in the practice, all current learners, other partner(s), members of the primary healthcare team and the practice manager.   You devise the timetable for the visit as you are best placed to know when these people will be available.  The visiting team will also tour the premises and look at waiting areas, reception, staff common rooms, treatment rooms etc. They will also look at a pre-recorded teaching session/consultation (3).  There will be a debriefing session with the visiting team and yourself where they may tell you the outcome.  About 2-3 weeks after the visit has taken place, you will receive your practice visit report which will outline any recommendations and summarise your approval.

Question: Do I need to do a DVD/video consultation or tutorial/teaching session for trainer approval?
Answer: Yes.  A big part of the visit is for the visiting team to see either a consultation (first time approvals) or a tutorial/teaching session (for re-approval). You should ensure play-back facilities are available for this part of the visit.  If there is more than one trainer being visited during the visit, a consultation/teaching session for reach trainer will need to be seen. 

Question:How long am I approved for?
Answer: Standard first time approvals are for 2 years for trainer and practice. Standard re-approvals are for 3 years.  If the visiting team feel you or the practice have not reached a set standard, they may recommend a less approval period.

Question: What is my trainer number?
Answer: If this is for the PCT form, it is fine to leave this blank as we do not issue trainer numbers.  We have our own internal database reference number, but this is for in-house purposes only and not given out to external organisations.

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Educational allowance claims

Question: I sent my form in 3 weeks ago but still have not heard anything?
Answer: If you have not been contacted by the Deanery this suggests that your claim form is being processed, the process can take anything between 6 – 8 weeks. If you have not heard anything by this period please do get into contact with us.

Question: I have not yet been on my course shall I send my claim form?
Answer:As we can only process claims with a certificate of attendance, you must attend the course and then send your claim form, original course receipt, along with the certificate of attendance or a signature and stamp from your programme director/trainer in order to claim.

Question: I am unsure as to whether I have been reimbursed the fees I claimed?
Answer: We kindly ask that you keep records of your claim forms and check the bank account that you provided details for prior to contacting us. These types of queries can be time consuming and delay other claims.

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Recruitment

Please see the FAQs section of the National Recruitment office website for up to date GP recruitment information.

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