ARCP
The panel is not there to catch you out — it's there to make sure you're on track. Think of it as your annual MOT, not your final exam. (Though it helps if the tyres are pumped up before you arrive.)
Downloads
📂 ARCP Help Files
Checklists, guidance, and template documents for trainees, panel members, and administrators — ready when you are.
path: ARCP HELP FILES
- arcp check list for gp trainees.docx
- arcp check list for panel assessors.docx
- arcp guidance - lay assessor.doc
- arcp guidance for panel chairs.docx
- arcp guidance for panel members.docx
- arcp panel - welcome and intro - for panel chairs.ppt
- arcp panel member feedback.doc
- arcp panel member newbies.docx
- trainees - get your eportfolio ES ARCP ready.docx
- trainees - how to avoid referral to central arcp panels.doc
Web Resources
A hand-picked mix of official guidance and real-world GP training resources. Because sometimes the best pearls are not hiding in the official documents.
Official GP Training Resources
RCGP & Official Guidance
Quick Summary — If You Only Read One Thing
⚡ ARCP in a Nutshell
- The panel only sees what is shared on your ePortfolio. Private or unsaved entries are invisible. Double-check your sharing settings before every ARCP.
- Writing "I will do more reading" in the future learning plan box irritates educators and earns you nothing. Say specifically what you read or did — "I completed the BMA's e-learning module on X and learned that..."
- Log entries backdated in bulk just before the panel look exactly like what they are. Add them contemporaneously — while the case is still fresh.
- An Outcome 5 for one missing item is genuinely stressful, but it is manageable and usually resolved quickly. The best way to avoid it is a pre-ARCP checklist self-audit 6 weeks ahead.
What Is the ARCP?
The ARCP is a formal, mandatory annual review of every GP trainee's progress. A panel of GP educators looks at your FourteenFish ePortfolio and decides whether you are progressing satisfactorily through the 13 Professional Capabilities.
Crucially, for most trainees there is no face-to-face component. Your ePortfolio is you in the eyes of the panel. A poorly maintained portfolio will be interpreted as a poorly developing trainee — even if you are brilliant in clinic.
The ARCP panel is not looking for excellence — it is asking: "Is there good enough evidence that this trainee is progressing satisfactorily towards competence?"
Satisfactory progression → signed off to the next ST year (or CCT if ST3 final review).
Unsatisfactory → feedback, action plan, or referral to central panel.
- Educational Supervisor's Report — the overall professional judgement
- Clinical Supervisor Reports — the day-to-day clinical view from each post
- MSF (Multi-Source Feedback) — how colleagues and team members experience working with the trainee
- PSQ (Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire) — the patient's perspective on consulting style
- Log entries and WPBAs — the trainee's own documented learning and assessment performance
These different sources act like different windows into the same room. Where they all tell the same story, the panel can be confident. Where they conflict, the panel investigates further. The goal is to glue these windows together into a coherent whole — not to rely on any single source in isolation.
The ARCP Journey — Before, During & After
The ARCP process has three distinct phases. Each has different responsibilities for trainees, administrators, and panel members.
- Admin books dates & venues
- Admin recruits panel members & lay assessors
- Send template letters to trainees, panel members & lay assessors
- Allocate trainees to panel members (avoid conflicts of interest)
- Trainees: complete ESR, upload Form R, check portfolio completeness
- Panel members: review allocated ePortfolios & pre-score GREEN/AMBER/RED
- ESR must be submitted 8–2 weeks before panel date
- Form R: no earlier than 8 weeks, no later than 2 weeks before panel
- Introductions & Chair's opening PowerPoint
- Panel members categorise trainees: GREEN / AMBER / RED
- Chair presents a case to model the presentation style
- AMBER cases discussed first (most complex, most time)
- RED cases next, then GREEN (swift — light touch)
- Each trainee: ~10 min presentation + 5 min questions + 5 min admin
- Formulate feedback for trainee & Educational Supervisor
- Administrator collates outcomes and feedback throughout
- Chair reviews & tweaks feedback before sending
- Admin pastes feedback into Educator Notes on FourteenFish
- Admin emails trainees and Educational Supervisors with their feedback
- Panel chair signs off GREEN trainees via chair login on FourteenFish
- CCT sign-off triggers the CCT application process at RCGP/GMC
- Admin sends claim forms to panel members for payment
- Collect ARCP process feedback from panel members for future improvement
ARCP Outcomes — The Full Picture
Every trainee receives one outcome per ARCP. Understanding what each outcome means — and which panels can award which — is essential for trainees, panel members, and administrators.
Unsatisfactory cases are referred to the Central (Deanery) panel, which has the authority to award Outcomes 3, 4, and 5. Local panels do not award extensions — that power rests with the central panel and the Director of Postgraduate GP Education.
Note: some deaneries allow local panels to issue Outcome 5 directly for clearly incomplete evidence (e.g. missing Form R). Always check your own deanery's local guidance.
Note: This colour system is the Bradford VTS working shorthand used at panel. The official ARCP outcomes are the numbered system (1–8) defined by the RCGP and the Gold Guide.
ARCP Outcomes Summary — At a Glance
| Outcome | Meaning | Who awards it? | Extra time needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satisfactory — proceed to next year | Local or Central | No |
| 2 | Mostly satisfactory — specific issues to address | Local or Central | No — but chair monitors |
| 3 | Inadequate progress — extension required | Central only | Yes |
| 4 | Released from training | Central only | N/A |
| 5 | Incomplete evidence submitted | Central (or local, deanery dependent) | May be required |
| 6 | Completed training — CCT awarded | Local or Central | No — this is the end! |
| 8i/ii/iii | Out of Programme | Local or Central | OOP period does not count |
Local vs Central ARCP Panels
- Panel members are typically GP educators from a different (neighbouring or partner) GP Training Scheme — not the trainee's own scheme
- Chaired by a TPD or GP educator from a partner scheme, coordinated by the local GP School
- This cross-scheme arrangement is designed to reduce the risk of assessors personally knowing the trainee — promoting objectivity and fairness
- Handles the majority of trainees — those progressing well
- Reviews trainee electronically via FourteenFish ePortfolio only
- No face-to-face review in routine cases
- Can award: Outcomes 1, 2, 6, 8
- Cannot grant extensions — must refer to Central panel
- If concerns arise: refers to Central panel with a written report
- Run by the regional GP School (formerly Deanery)
- Chaired by GP educators within the GP School
- Handles complex, difficult, or at-risk trainees
- Reviews ePortfolio AND meets the trainee face-to-face
- Trainee is informed in advance and may submit mitigating evidence
- Can award: all outcomes including 3, 4, 5
- Can grant extensions to trainees making insufficient progress
- In very serious cases: trainee can be released from training (Outcome 4)
Local ARCP panels have increasingly moved to a cross-scheme model — where panel members come from a neighbouring or partner GP training scheme, not the trainee's own. The rationale is to reduce potential bias: if assessors personally know the trainee, their judgement of the ePortfolio evidence could — consciously or not — be coloured by their personal impression of that individual.
The Bradford VTS view: While we fully support measures that promote fairness, we also believe there is genuine educational value in a panel member who personally knows a trainee. A great deal of context — about resilience, character, growth, and professional development — simply does not make it onto an ePortfolio. An assessor who has worked alongside a trainee, or seen them in clinic, brings a triangulated and human perspective that a portfolio alone cannot fully replace. The ideal, arguably, is a system that combines both: ePortfolio rigour and relational context.
ES Meeting Timing — Getting the Dates Right
The ARCP panel cannot sign you off without your Educational Supervisor's Report (ESR). The ESR must be completed and uploaded before the panel meets.
Have your ES meeting in May (covering the Feb–Aug period)
Have your ES meeting in December (covering the Aug–Feb period)
These annotations appear on the allocation list next to the trainee's name: (LTFT – annual progress review) or (LTFT – ST transition review).
What ARCP Panels Are Looking For
The panel reviews your FourteenFish ePortfolio comprehensively. Here is a checklist of everything they expect to find — use it as your own pre-ARCP audit.
- Form R uploaded — submitted no earlier than 8 weeks and no later than 2 weeks before your ARCP date. TOOT declarations must match the ePortfolio. Any complaints or SUIs must be declared.
- ESR completed and signed off by both you and your Educational Supervisor — uploaded within 8 weeks of the panel date. Without this, you cannot be signed off.
- BLS / CPR & AED certificate — must be face-to-face, must cover adults AND children (unless no paediatric exposure), must cover AED use, certificate must show your name and date, and must be in date (within the last 12 months for most deaneries).
- Safeguarding — Adult & Child Level 3 training certificate uploaded. Plus at least one participatory safeguarding log entry per year (a case you were involved with or a safeguarding meeting reflection). Annual knowledge update needed if original certificate is more than 12 months old.
- ESR Workbook completed and uploaded to your learning log under "Professional Conversation" with the title "The ES Workbook". Available on the Bradford VTS Educational Supervision pages.
- Clinical Supervisor Report (CSR) — one for each post you have been in during the review period.
- WPBAs (WPBA tools) — more than the minimum required number of CbDs, COTs (including at least 1 audioCOT and 1 face-to-face COT), and other CAT assessments. Assessments should show progression and competence appropriate to your stage.
- CEPS (Clinical Examination and Procedural Skills) — making good progress throughout ST1/ST2. In final ST3 ARCP, evidence for 5 mandatory observed intimate examinations and a range of system examinations must be present.
- Log entries / Clinical Case Reviews (CCRs) — sufficient in number (minimum 3 CCRs per month WTE), well reflected, covering a variety of capability areas, shared and visible to the panel, and including a mix of types (CCRs, professional conversations, audits/QI, SEAs, etc.).
- PDP (Personal Development Plan) — active, with SMART objectives that have been completed. An inactive or empty PDP has held up certification for some trainees.
- OOH (Out of Hours) — evidence of regular OOH sessions supported by log entries mapped to the 6 OOH competencies. See the T-SCORE section below.
- QI activity — at least one Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) or Quality Improvement Project (QIP) per ST phase. One Leadership Activity required in ST3.
- Previous ARCP requirements — if the previous panel set any specific action points, make sure those have been completed and evidenced.
ST3 Trainees — Final Year ARCP
The GP School must complete its final panel review for ST3 trainees 6 weeks before your end training date so that CCTs can be issued on time.
Do not book a holiday during this window. Failure to be available may delay your CCT application and compromise future employment. This is not an exaggeration — it has happened.
For your final ESR, all 13 Professional Capabilities must be marked as "Competent for Licensing". You should have 3 pieces of evidence from your ST3 year specifically referenced under each self-rated capability.
The Outcome 6 sign-off triggers your CCT application with the RCGP and GMC. You will receive details of the online registration link from the RCGP. Make sure your revalidation date is set correctly — see the FAQ below.
Assessing OOH — The 6 OOH Competencies (T-SCORE)
The ARCP panel has a responsibility to assess OOH performance. There are 6 OOH competencies that trainees must demonstrate. These are easily remembered using the mnemonic T-SCORE:
Common Pitfalls — Why Trainees Get Outcome 5s
Research from the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery found that a significant rise in Outcome 5s was almost entirely preventable. The same issues appear nationally, year after year. Here they are — so you can avoid them.
- Certificate expired before the ARCP date
- Online-only BLS — it must be face-to-face
- Certificate does not clearly name the trainee
- No evidence of paediatric BLS (when posts include children)
- AED training not covered or not evidenced
- Not uploaded to both Supporting Documentation AND the Compliance Passport on FourteenFish
- Level 3 Adult or Child safeguarding certificate not uploaded
- Certificate is more than 12 months old without an annual knowledge update
- No participatory safeguarding log entry (a real case or meeting reflection)
- Safeguarding log entries not clearly titled "Adult Safeguarding" / "Child Safeguarding"
- Not linked to the safeguarding training in the Compliance Passport
- Form R not submitted at all
- Submitted too early (more than 8 weeks before panel)
- TOOT days on Form R don't match the portfolio TOOT
- Locum shifts listed but no Wider Scope of Practice form completed
- Complaints or SUIs not declared when they should have been
- Completed via the wrong system (check your deanery — most use TIS Self Service)
- Log entries saved to personal library (invisible to panel)
- Entries not marked as "shared"
- Entries saved to wrong review period
- ESR not fully signed off by both trainee and supervisor
- CSR missing for one or more posts
- Certificates uploaded to wrong section on FourteenFish
What Panels Actually Judge — The Evidence Hierarchy
When a panel member reviews your ePortfolio, they build a picture using several sources of evidence. Understanding how these are weighted helps you prioritise where to invest your effort.
The Reflection Quality Ladder — What Good Actually Looks Like
This is one of the most consistently misunderstood areas. Trainees know they need to reflect — they just don't always know what "good" looks like. Panels and Educational Supervisors see everything from one extreme to the other.
"I saw a patient with chest pain. I examined them and did an ECG. The ECG was normal. I referred to cardiology."
- ❌ Pure description — no analysis
- ❌ No learning identified
- ❌ No self-awareness
- ❌ No future change planned
- ❌ "I will do more reading" — meaningless
"I saw a patient with atypical chest pain. I considered the differentials and felt uncertain. I referred to cardiology. I reflected that I need to improve my knowledge of chest pain presentations."
- ✓ Some analysis present
- ✓ Uncertainty acknowledged
- ~ Learning a bit vague
- ~ No specific resource named
- ~ No emotional self-awareness
"This patient made me feel anxious — atypical features in a young woman who I nearly dismissed. I noticed I was anchoring to a benign diagnosis because of her age. This challenged my assumption-making. I reviewed NICE guidance on atypical ACS... I shared this with the team..."
- ✅ Emotion acknowledged honestly
- ✅ Own cognitive bias identified
- ✅ Specific learning resource named
- ✅ Shared learning — team dimension
- ✅ Will change future practice
Capability Coverage — The Commonly Neglected Areas
Trainees typically build good coverage of clinical capabilities naturally through their log entries. But certain capabilities and curriculum areas fall by the wayside unless you actively monitor them.
- Team Working (TW) — easy to miss because it doesn't feel "clinical". Log MDT meetings, referral conversations, delegation moments.
- Organisation, Management & Leadership (OML) — QI activities, leadership at HDR, practice meetings. Actively seek these out.
- Community Health & Environmental Sustainability (CHES) — population health, local deprivation awareness, carbon footprint of prescribing. Hard to evidence in hospital posts.
- CEPS — especially intimate examinations. These have specific mandatory requirements for CCT. Don't leave them until ST3.
What Trainees Wish They'd Known — Real-World Wisdom
These patterns emerge consistently from trainee accounts, forums, and support platforms across UK GP training. All verified against official RCGP guidance — nothing here contradicts it. These are the things that aren't in the official documents.
Panels and Educational Supervisors can see not just when an entry was created but when it was shared. A year's worth of entries shared in a two-week burst before your ARCP is an immediate red flag. It signals disengagement with the portfolio, not a busy schedule. Write entries contemporaneously — aim for within a few days of the encounter while it is fresh.
Many trainees choose the right capabilities but write no explicit justification. Supervisors and panels should not have to infer your capability from context. Think of it like a driving test — you signal and manoeuvre, but you also make the signal obvious before you manoeuvre. Write a sentence explicitly stating how your reflection demonstrates the chosen capability. Pre-write these justifications at the time you write the log, not at ESR prep time.
Many trainees — particularly IMGs — find it uncomfortable to write about emotions in professional documents. But educators and panels interpret emotional self-awareness as a sign of a mature, thoughtful learner. Writing that a case made you feel anxious, uncertain, frustrated, or elated is a strength, not a vulnerability. Panels see the trainee who never expresses any emotional self-awareness as concerning — not the one who does.
An empty or inactive PDP has held up certification for some trainees. The "golden number" is around 3 active SMART objectives at any time — enough to show you are engaging with your learning needs, not so many that you can't possibly complete them. At least some should be completed before each review. And for your final ARCP, include objectives that look forward towards your post-CCT appraisal — it shows foresight.
One confirmed trainee account: completing Form R too early (more than 8 weeks before the panel) meant an early-morning phone call the day after a night shift asking for resubmission within 24 hours. The window is strict for good reason — the Form R covers a specific period and must be contemporaneous. Know your exact submission window (8 weeks to 2 weeks before the panel date) and set a calendar reminder.
Don't wait to share all your log entries at once just before the ESR and then expect your trainer to comment on 30 entries in a week. This is unfair to your trainer and loses you the incremental feedback that makes the portfolio valuable. Share entries in batches of around 10. This builds a continuous feedback loop and means your trainer's comments are there for the ESR and ARCP panel to read — showing active supervisory engagement.
If you've had a previous ARCP, the panel will have left feedback and specific requirements. Trainees sometimes receive an Outcome 2 with action points and then forget to fulfil them before the next panel. This is almost guaranteed to generate a worse outcome. The first thing to do when starting any new review period is to read your last ARCP form. If the panel told you to do something specific — do it, and evidence it.
Trainees in hospital posts sometimes assume that portfolio requirements are looser. They are not. The minimum CCR rate (3 per month WTE), safeguarding evidence, BLS, and OOH engagement apply regardless of post. Hospital clinical supervisors should be completing CSRs. And remember — the OML and CHES capabilities that are hard to demonstrate in hospital need to be actively sought: attend governance meetings, flag environmental waste, engage with community services.
What Panels Notice — The Red Flag Dashboard
These are the specific patterns that consistently move a trainee from GREEN to AMBER in a panel member's mind. Many can be fixed before the ARCP if caught early enough.
What a "Green" Portfolio Looks Like — The Ideal Monthly Rhythm
Trainees who sail through ARCP panels consistently describe the same habit: they treat the ePortfolio as a continuous professional diary, not a box-ticking exercise done in batches.
Extra Pearls — Things That Make a Real Difference
- Show a difficult case alongside your successes. Trainees who only write about cases they managed well look polished but superficial. A well-reflected case where you made an error, caught it, and learned from it is often more impressive to panels than a dozen straightforward successes. Don't be afraid to share cases that went badly — with insight and honesty.
- Vary your log entry types. All CCRs and nothing else suggests you are only engaging with clinical encounters. Panels want to see professional conversations, SEAs/LEAs, quality improvement activity, teaching reflections, and more. The mix demonstrates the full breadth of your professional development.
- Get your Curriculum Experience Group (CEG) coverage right from the start. There are only 9 CEG categories in FourteenFish. Check which ones you are missing at the start of each rotation and actively plan cases to address gaps. ENT, genetics, and ophthalmology are the perennial weak spots — seek these cases out deliberately, especially in GP posts.
- Patient satisfaction surveys (PSQ) and MSF take longer than you expect. These need enough respondents, and patients or colleagues may take weeks to respond. Start these processes early in the rotation — not in the final fortnight.
- Your ePortfolio will outlive your training. After CCT it becomes the foundation for your appraisal portfolio. The reflective habits and learning log practices you build now are skills you carry into your entire GP career. The trainees who find post-CCT appraisals easiest are those who never stopped treating their learning log as a genuine professional diary.
- Don't do all your OOH in your last GP post. This is a known and repeated mistake. It looks like poor time management to the panel, it is extremely stressful for you, and it means you enter ST3 (with all its exam pressures) with a large OOH backlog. Spread OOH sessions throughout training, starting in ST1.
- Read the Educator Notes section regularly. ARCP panels and educators use the Educator Notes section of FourteenFish to communicate important messages to trainees. Many trainees never check it. Important feedback, action points, and even formal concerns can sit there unread. Check it at the start of every review period.
Form R — A Visual Summary of the Rules
Form R is one of the most reliable sources of preventable Outcome 5s. Here are the rules in one diagram:
Panel Composition
- Panel Chair — a TPD (Training Programme Director)
- Two GP trainers (minimum)
- Desirable: a fourth lay panel member
- The scheme administrator should also be present
- Only allocate to doctor panel members — not lay assessors
- Give the TPD Chair a smaller caseload — they are also managing the session
- Balance ST1s, ST2s, and ST3s across panel members
- Note CCT cases clearly — these are the most complex to review
- Flag LTFT trainees: add "LTFT" to the allocation list
- Flag SUI cases: add "(SUI)" to the allocation list
- Detailed form (10 steps) — for newer or less experienced panel members, or for any trainee who is not progressing well. The extra structure ensures nothing is missed and helps align newer assessors with experienced ones.
- Brief form (5 steps) — for experienced panel members reviewing straightforward trainees. More efficient once you know the process well.
Even experienced panel members should consider reverting to the detailed form when reviewing a trainee who is struggling — it helps define exactly where the problem lies.
Before the Panel — Administrator Checklist
- 1Arrange dates and venues for the panel meetings.
- 2Recruit panel members and lay assessors by email — include rates of pay.
- 3Send the template letters (see accordions below) to trainees, panel members, and lay assessors.
- 4Allocate trainees to panel members — check no conflicts of interest (no direct CS or ES of any allocated trainee).
- 5Mark the allocation list clearly with: ST year, CCT (if applicable), LTFT (if applicable), SUI (if applicable).
- 6Send the early reminder email to trainees (template below) in the month before the panel.
- 7Arrange refreshments — the panel is a long day. Something simple for 3–4 people is fine.
The Traffic Light System
Before the panel begins, each panel member categorises their allocated trainees using three colours. This drives the order and depth of discussion throughout the session.
During the Panel — Chair's Guide
- 1Introductions once everyone arrives. Open warmly — panel members are often volunteers and may be newer to the process.
- 2Run the Introductory PowerPoint (available in downloads above). This standardises expectations, outlines ground rules, and demonstrates how you want trainees to be presented. This is worth doing every time, not just for new panel members.
- 3Ask panel members to categorise their trainees on the three coloured sheets (GREEN / AMBER / RED) before any discussion begins.
- 4Chair presents a trainee first — ideally a straightforward GREEN — to model how to present concisely. This gets one case done and sets the tone for the room.
- 5Work through AMBER first, then RED, then GREEN. Manage time actively — move people on when the evidence is clear. Timekeeping is a core chair responsibility.
- 6After deciding each outcome, formulate feedback for the trainee and the Educational Supervisor. Ask the administrator to note this carefully.
- 7For RED referrals to Central Panel: collate "additional notes for the second panel" to assist the central review.
- 8End the session by asking panel members for feedback on the ARCP process itself — this drives ongoing quality improvement.
How to Present a Trainee at the Panel
- Display your checklist form on the projector and walk through the areas
- Be concise — if something is fine, say it is fine and move on
- Spend more time on areas of concern — define the concern with specific examples
- AMBER and concern cases: up to 20 minutes is appropriate — steal time from GREEN cases
- Allow the chair to facilitate and move the discussion on — this is not a criticism, it is good chairing
Filling In the ARCP Section on FourteenFish
In the ARCP free-text boxes on FourteenFish, provide a clear explanation of the outcome. If they are satisfactory, keep it short and clear. For unsatisfactory outcomes, be specific and thorough:
- 1Identify the specific problem — do not beat around the bush. Name it clearly.
- 2Write the evidence for the outcome — what exactly did the panel see (or not see) that led to this decision?
- 3State specific follow-up actions — milestones to achieve, with timeframes.
Example ARCP Timetable
For a 9am–5pm session with 4 panel members, each allocated 4 trainees (16 trainees total):
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 09:00–09:15 | ☕ Arrival, coffee, settle in |
| 09:15–09:30 | Welcome, introductions & introductory PowerPoint |
| 09:30–09:45 | Chair presents first trainee — to model the process and answer questions (1 done) |
| 09:45–10:45 | 3 more trainees @ ~20 mins each (4 done) |
| 10:45–11:00 | ☕ Comfort break |
| 11:00–12:00 | 3 trainees (7 done) |
| 12:00–13:00 | 🍽 Lunch |
| 13:00–14:00 | 3 trainees (10 done) |
| 14:00–14:15 | ☕ Tea break |
| 14:15–15:15 | 3 trainees (13 done) |
| 15:15–15:30 | ☕ Tea break |
| 15:30–16:30 | 3 trainees (16 done) |
| 16:30–17:00 | Panel process feedback, thank panel members, depart |
This schedule builds in adequate time for AMBER cases by spreading them throughout the day. Adjust based on your actual caseload.
Handling Significant Untoward Incidents (SUIs) at ARCP
If a trainee has been involved in an SUI in any post during the review year, the ARCP panel must review and discuss it. The ARCP form must explicitly state that the SUI has been discussed and noted.
What constitutes a satisfactory SUI reflection?
- Written up contemporaneously in the ePortfolio — using the embedded SEA section or an SUI template
- A good reflective account of the incident and the learning from it
- No defensiveness; acceptance of the trainee's role in organisational issues
- Some understanding of SUI theory — e.g. the Swiss Cheese Model
- Shows higher-level understanding of how systems (not just individuals) contribute to incidents
Giving Good Feedback at ARCP
After the panel has decided each outcome, panel members formulate feedback for the trainee and for the Educational Supervisor. The GP Scheme Administrator records this during the session.
- One or two things you specifically liked about their ePortfolio — carry these on
- If warranted: one or two things they could do to improve it next time
- What was good about their ES report (specific, not generic praise)
- Where the ES report could be strengthened — worded gently and constructively
Template Letters
Ready-to-adapt template letters for GP Scheme Administrators. Adapt wording to your local scheme as needed.
✉️ Template Letter — To Trainees (pre-ARCP reminder)▶
Send this by email to all trainees at the beginning of the month before the ARCP panel (typically beginning of May or beginning of December).
Dear trainees,
Most of you will be undergoing an ARCP panel review next month. In order to facilitate this process, please can you make sure you do the following as soon as possible. Hopefully, for most of you, it will all have been done in preparation for the Educational Supervision meeting that you will have done recently.
- Please ensure there is a completed "ESR Workbook" which has been uploaded to your learning log under the section "Professional Conversation" with the title "The ES Workbook". Available here: bradfordvts.co.uk/edsupervision
- Upload your Form R — and detail any serious complaints and incidents.
- Make sure your ePortfolio learning log entries look good — good numbers and good levels of reflection.
- Complete any missing or outstanding items from your ES meeting — e.g. WPBA, PDPs, OOH etc.
- There is a useful document called "ARCP checklist for GP trainees" — read it and follow it. Available here: bradfordvts.co.uk/edsupervision/arcp
If you have any queries, contact the GP Scheme Administrator.
Yours sincerely…
✉️ Template Letter — To Panel Members▶
Dear Panel Member,
Many thanks for helping us with the ARCP panels. It is important that all panel members know what they are doing and that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. Hopefully you will have attended some sort of "ARCP Training", but if you haven't — please contact your GP Scheme Administrator or TPD Lead for ARCPs.
The ARCP process we are going to use encourages a "light touch" approach for those trainees that are clearly doing well, and a more detailed one for those who are not. Please visit the Bradford VTS ARCP pages — they will provide you with everything you ever wanted to know about ARCP panels. There is a lot there, so please read a little each day rather than all in one sitting.
- For the Bradford VTS help files and guidance: bradfordvts.co.uk/edsupervision/arcp
Essential Reading:
- ARCP guidance for panel members (docx) — available in the downloads box above
- ARCP panel — welcome and intro — for panel chairs (ppt) — available in the downloads box above
Essential Tool:
- ARCP checklist for panel assessors (docx) — available in the downloads box above
This checklist will help add structure to your assessment and make the process more time-efficient. Please use it — it provides the necessary structure that inexperienced panel members need, and provides a comprehensive framework so that even experienced members don't miss anything. A unified approach leads to a more reliable, valid, and easier-to-determine ARCP outcome.
By now you should have received a list of trainees allocated to you. Please review each trainee's ePortfolio thoroughly before the panel meeting — this takes time, so please do not leave it until the day before. Most assessors prefer to do this during the week or weekend before the panel so that their assessment stays fresh.
For each trainee, please use the ARCP checklist form — you may be asked for specifics about each trainee on the day. When you have finished assessing your trainee, give them a global colour score: GREEN if they are clearly okay; AMBER if you are unsure; RED if they are clearly not okay and need referring to the deanery panel.
We will also need three sets of feedback from you: one on each trainee, one on each Educational Supervisor, and one on the ARCP panel process itself.
Thank you again for helping us. Please do not hesitate to contact the GP Scheme Administrator if you have any queries.
Yours sincerely…
✉️ Template Letter — To Lay Panel Assessors▶
Dear Lay Panel Member,
We know from previous experience that most lay assessors feel apprehensive and wonder what value they can bring to panels. The truth is that you bring a different and invaluable perspective that is very difficult to capture with a panel full of doctors. And there is no need to feel apprehensive — all the panel chairs are approachable and friendly people. Please do not be afraid to email or phone your local panel chair if there is anything you do not understand.
- You offer a different perspective. Sometimes the rest of us can be blind to what you can see quite clearly.
- Your opinion matters — please feel comfortable to voice it. The rest of us are here to listen.
Hopefully you will have attended an "ARCP Training" workshop. If not, please contact the GP Training Scheme Administrator. If you would like to learn more about the ARCP process, please visit the Bradford VTS ARCP pages: bradfordvts.co.uk/edsupervision/arcp
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the GP Scheme Administrator if you have any queries.
Yours sincerely,
Frequently Asked Questions
🔐 How do panel members log in to review a trainee's ePortfolio?▶
Panel members are given a special panel login code and password by the GP Scheme Administrator. This is separate from any personal FourteenFish login they may have. If you have not received this, contact the administrator before the panel meeting — do not leave this until the day.
Once logged in, you will be able to select each trainee allocated to you and navigate their ePortfolio through the FourteenFish interface. The navigation panel on the left side guides you through the different sections.
FourteenFish Help Centre: support.fourteenfish.com
✅ What if a trainee is generally excellent but is missing one mandatory piece of evidence?▶
Mandatory evidence is mandatory. Minimum numbers for WPBAs are minimum numbers — trainees should be exceeding them. If a trainee has not met a minimum requirement, even by one item, this must be flagged to the panel.
The panel may still decide to approve (Outcome 1) — but with a strong proviso that the trainee provides the missing evidence within a specified timeframe. If they do, responsibility for checking falls to the GP Scheme Administrator and TPD.
To help decide: weigh the deficiency against all the other evidence present. Does the portfolio demonstrate coverage of the relevant Professional Capability through other means? Ultimately you are assessing whether the overall portfolio evidences satisfactory progression — not ticking boxes mechanically. For ST3 CCT decisions, the bar is higher.
🕐 What is the revalidation date after CCT? And what if it seems wrong?▶
At the CCT point, doctors enter the 5-year revalidation cycle. The GMC's normal policy is to set the revalidation date at approximately 3 months after the CCT date, to allow admin systems to align.
Problems can arise when a trainee's CCT date has changed (e.g. due to an extension or period of LTFT). The FourteenFish ePortfolio must always reflect the current CCT date accurately — the GMC bases the revalidation date on this.
If a trainee thinks their revalidation date is incorrect, they should flag this while still in training — contact the GP Training Scheme Administrator who will advise and escalate to the GP School's revalidation lead. Once CCT has been awarded, it becomes much harder to correct as responsibility for revalidation passes to the Local Area Team.
⚠️ What if a trainee has had a Significant Untoward Incident (SUI)?▶
If an SUI is listed on the trainee's Form R, the ARCP panel must review and discuss it. The ARCP form must explicitly state that it has been discussed.
An SUI does not automatically halt progression or prevent CCT award — even if the matter is still under investigation at the time of the panel. If the investigation involves the GMC, it is the GMC who decides on licensing; the panel continues to make decisions based on the evidence available.
What the panel should look for in the SUI reflection:
- Written contemporaneously — ideally using the SEA section or an SUI template
- A genuine reflective account that is not defensive or blame-shifting
- Clear learning identified from the incident
- Some awareness of systems thinking — e.g. the Swiss Cheese Model
🎯 What about the good mandatory evidence item the trainee is missing for OOH?▶
The panel must assess OOH performance. There are 6 OOH competencies (T-SCORE) that trainees must demonstrate across their training. The minimum OOH hours are now less prescriptive — what matters is regular engagement with OOH work and, by the end of training, evidence for all 6 T-SCORE competencies.
Each OOH session should be supported by a log entry clearly stating what was learned and which competencies were demonstrated. The ES Workbook has a dedicated OOH section for this. The panel will look here first.
Read more: bradfordvts.co.uk/mrcgp/ooh
⚖️ Can trainees appeal an ARCP outcome they disagree with?▶
Yes. The Gold Guide (the authoritative UK reference for postgraduate GP training) specifies that trainees have the right to request a review or appeal of certain ARCP outcomes — particularly unsatisfactory outcomes such as Outcome 3 (inadequate progress) and Outcome 4 (released from training).
In general, the process works as follows:
- Trainees must be informed of the outcome and the reasons for it in writing.
- Before a central panel, trainees have the right to submit evidence of mitigating circumstances.
- If a trainee believes a panel outcome was procedurally unfair, or that significant mitigating circumstances were not properly considered, they may request a formal review.
- Trainees should contact their GP Training Scheme Administrator or TPD in the first instance. Seeking advice from their professional defence organisation (MDU, MPS, or MDDUS) is also strongly recommended.
Full details on the appeals process are in the COPMeD Gold Guide (10th Edition).
Trainer & TPD Pearls — Teaching the ARCP Process
By the time of the final Educational Supervisor's Report (ESR) — the one that feeds into the ST3 CCT panel — all 13 Professional Capabilities must be rated as "Competent for Licensing".
This means not a single one can be left at any rating below "Competent for Licensing" — including "Needs Further Development (above expectations)" or any other sub-threshold rating. Every one of the 13 must be at the competent-for-licensing level.
- If any capability remains below this threshold, the ARCP panel cannot award Outcome 6 (CCT).
- Ensure this is reviewed and confirmed at the final ESR meeting — before you submit the report. Do not leave gaps to fix afterwards.
- The trainee should be linking evidence to each capability from their ST3 year specifically — ideally at least 3 pieces of evidence per capability.
- The ePortfolio is not an afterthought — many trainees treat it as a box-ticking exercise rather than a professional reflection of their development. Help them understand that it represents them to people who will never meet them in person.
- "I will do more reading" as a future learning plan entry is meaningless. Coach trainees to be specific — name the resource, and demonstrate they have already used it.
- Log entries added in bulk before the ARCP are an obvious sign of non-continuous reflection. Work with trainees on building a habit of adding entries promptly after clinical encounters.
- Depth of reflection over quantity — panels are more impressed by 30 thoughtful, well-reflected entries than 120 superficial ones. Help trainees understand what "good reflection" actually looks like.
- The PDP must be active — objectives set, some completed, and evidence of genuine engagement with learning needs. An empty PDP has delayed certification.
Tutorial Ideas for ARCP Preparation
Ask the trainee to use the ARCP checklist to self-audit their own ePortfolio. Review it together. Identify gaps early — ideally 3 months before the ARCP, not the week before.
Show the trainee examples of excellent log entries (with permission) alongside average ones. Ask them to identify the difference. Then ask: "Which category are yours in?"
Pick 3–4 Professional Capabilities and ask the trainee to find their best evidence for each. Do this at the halfway point through a rotation — if they struggle to find evidence now, there is time to generate more.
- "Which capability do you feel most confident about — and what evidence shows that?"
- "Which capability needs the most work before your ARCP?"
- "If the panel looked at your OOH entries today, what would they conclude?"
- "What would you do differently if you were writing your last 5 log entries again?"
Memory Aids & Cheat Sheets
ARCP Outcomes — The Colour Code
OOH Competencies — T-SCORE
Final Take-Home Points
"The ultimate purpose of ARCP panels is to determine whether trainees are progressing well towards competence. We are not looking for excellence — we are asking whether there is good enough evidence of satisfactory progression."
Watch this video
Most of the information on this page is for ARCP panel members. However, if you’re a trainee who has stumbled across these pages, please don’t run off. There’s some information about ARCP panels for you too (towards the end of the page). And of course, you might find it helpful to see what the panel members will be doing when they come to look at your ePortfolio – and the types of things they look for. You can then tweak your ePortfolio to make sure it hits the right notes.
Most of the information on this page is for ARCP panel members. However, if you’re a trainee who has stumbled across these pages, please don’t run off. There’s some information about ARCP panels for you too (towards the end of the page). And of course, you might find it helpful to see what the panel members will be doing when they come to look at your ePortfolio – and the types of things they look for. You can then tweak your ePortfolio to make sure it hits the right notes.