ST3 Appraisal

Appraisal Requirements for Newly Qualified GPs 

GPs who have recently completed their training must undertake their first appraisal within 12 calendar months of their training completion date. 

For most trainees who finish training in August, this means their first appraisal must be completed by the end of August the following year. 

Appraisal Calendar and Invitations 

The appraisal calendar opens in January each year. 

Doctors listed on the Northern Ireland Performers List (NIPL) will receive an email invitation at that time to apply for an appraisal, which will take place from April onwards. 

Responsible Officer (RO) Information 

Once a GP is fully registered on the NIPL, their Responsible Officer (RO) changes from the Postgraduate Medical Dean to the RO for Primary Care (SPPG). 

GPs can view their RO details via GMC Online. 

If You Anticipate a Delay 

If a GP expects that they won’t be able to complete their first post-training appraisal within 12 months, it’s essential to contact the appraisal team as early as possible. 

This allows time to discuss circumstances and make appropriate arrangements. 

Please send a copy of your PDP to the GP Appraisal Team at NIMDTA at the following email address: gpappraisal.nimdta@hscni.net. 

You may anonymise the PDP if you wish. 

GP appraisal and the Educational Supervisor’s Report serve different purposes: 

• The Educational Supervisor’s Report focuses on assessing whether a trainee has met the required competencies to achieve a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in General Practice. 
• In contrast, GP appraisal is designed to support the ongoing professional development of qualified GPs, with an emphasis on enhancing skills, improving service delivery, and maintaining high standards of care. 

While there is an educational component to the appraisal process—and some elements of your e-portfolio may be relevant—GP appraisal is primarily concerned with quality improvement and reflective practice in your day-to-day clinical work. 

Revalidation applies to all doctors, including those in training from Foundation Year 2 onwards. 

If you are a trainee in the Northern Ireland Deanery, your Responsible Officer (RO) is the Postgraduate Dean, and your Designated Body is the Northern Ireland Deanery. 

What Revalidation Involves 

Your RO will make a recommendation to the General Medical Council (GMC) confirming that you are: 

• Up to date 
• Fit to practise 
• Ready to be revalidated 

Timing of Revalidation 

Since April 2016, the first revalidation recommendation is no longer automatically linked to the CCT date. Instead, it will occur five years after gaining full GMC registration with a licence to practise. 

A second revalidation recommendation will be made at the point of eligibility for CCT. 

For trainees who complete the GP training programme without interruption, the first revalidation will still take place at the point of CCT, as this occurs sooner than five years after full registration. 

The GMC has developed a video that explains the processes of revalidation post CCT which we recommend trainees view: https://www.copmed.org.uk/revalidation/revalidation-for-new-consultants .