Job Description, Person Specification and Contractual Responsibilities

forGP Appraiser

Role / GP Appraiser
Reporting to / GP Appraisal Lead
Accountable to / GP Appraisal Lead

Job Summary

GP appraisal is a professional process forming a pivotal element of the revalidation process for General Practitioners. It consists of reviewing the evidence provided to support reflective and effective medical practice. It comprises constructive dialogue designed to give GPs feedback on past performance, charts continuing progress, and identifies development needs.

It is seen as both a summative and formative development process carried out by a GP who has been trained in carrying out GP appraisal. The summative element is designed to highlight educational needs in order to proactively manage performance concerns. The appraiser will support the GP in preparation for revalidation.

Each new GP appraiser will initially complete a minimum of two appraisals which will be reviewed by the appraisal lead. A formal contract will be issued on satisfactory completion of these. All GP appraisers are given an annual review and will be asked to sign an annual honorary contract. Appraisers will normally complete a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 25 appraisals annually, and will not normally do more than 2 appraisals in any one day.

The role of the appraiser is to appraise General Practitioners in a supportive and developmental manner. The key elements of the role of an appraiser include:

  • Facilitate annual appraisal for each allocated doctor.
  • Review essential evidence provided by the doctorwhich demonstrates that they have appropriately improved or learned from events which have occurred over the previous 12 months. Evidence should be in line with current requirements.
  • Encourage reflective practice, and support and challenge the doctor as appropriate; assess the impact of any development plan.
  • Identify, where possible, any early warning signs that a GP may be struggling and agree with the individual in the first instance how this might be dealt with. Identify any areas where additional support is needed, and liaise with appropriate parties.
  • Enable the doctor to produce a clearly defined portfolio of evidence to inform appraisal and revalidation; feed back when information is incomplete to both the doctor and the relevant appraisal lead.
  • Work with the GP to improve their morale and clinical care with the production of appropriate development plans which are of a high standard and which accurately reflect the appraisal discussion.
  • Ensure that appraisal takes place in an appropriate environment.
  • Ensure that documentation is delivered using either an approved toolkitor locally agreed alternative, in line with current national guidance.
  • Ensure documentation is returned signed, and in full, normally within three weeks of the appraisal.
  • Maintain up to date knowledge of GP appraisals and revalidation and respond to the statutory changes which reflect the processes of revalidation.
  • Undertake an Equality and Diversity training module and supply copy of the completion certificate to GP Appraisals and Revalidation Team for file.

Payments to appraisers will be made over 10 months based on the number of appraisals listed for each individual appraiser on 1st April each year. Any additions/removals will be adjusted at the end of the year.

Attendance at minimum 2 forum/training events per year is required. These will be paid on invoice following each meeting.

Travel over the first ten miles is also paid at a rate of 40 pence per mile.

Person Specification – for GP appraiser appointments

All criteria are ESSENTIAL but some will be addressed in the initial appraiser training / Essential / Will be addressed in initial training
Qualifications
Medical Degree / E
GMC License to Practice / E
Entry on GMC Specialist or General Practitioner Register / E
Completion of appraisal training / E / X
Registered on the NHS Devon/Plymouth/Torbay Performer List / E
Experience
3 years since completion of Specialist or GP training / E
Involvement in medical education or training, or comparable experience to include coaching or mentoring / E
Skills, aptitude and knowledge
High level of interpersonal and communication skills / E
Understanding the appraisal process and its links to revalidation / E / X
Understanding the revalidation process / E / X
Understanding equality and diversity / E
Understanding of learning needs assessment / D
Ability to give constructive feedback / E / X
Providing constructive challenge / E / X
Knowledge of local professional development and education structures
/ D / X
Ability to demonstrate commitment and give sufficient time to appraisal / E
Personal qualities
Motivated and conscientious / E
Emotional intelligence / E
Has respect of and for colleagues / E
Well organised and willing to work to deadlines and ability to be flexible / E
Has no performance issues under investigation / E
Health and physical abilities
Psychologically capable of work as an appraiser / E

02d/CG/GPApp/Contracts/GPApprJobDesc&PSpec (Cluster)-Jan2012