From 1 April 2010 the General Medical Council (GMC-uk.org) became the competent authority for certifying that a doctor is eligible to apply to an Area Team for admission to the National Performers List (NPL).

The GMC offers two routes to certification:

Article 10 - results in a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). This is the normal route for doctors completing approved courses of GP training offered by a UK LETB. Other GP registrars who might also fall in to this category include those who have completed a GP registrar (self construct) post or shortened vocational training scheme but can also offer other experience towards a three year training scheme that will meet the requirements of Article 10. The GMC is introducing a time limit for application via the CCT route on completion of training. This will be for 1 year and will apply from 31st March 2013. After that time anyone who has not applied for their CCT after completing a recognised training course will have to apply by CEGPR.

All training must normally be contained within a seven year period.

Article 11 - results in a Certificate confirming Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR).This is the route for any GP registrar whose training does not meet all the requirements of the UK training programme leading towards the award of a CCT. For example:

• Some training was undertaken abroad.
• Some or all of the UK posts were not prospectively approved for training

• The applicant has not passed all parts of MRCGP in the UK.

• The applicant has no UK training.

All training should normally be contained within a ten year period.

Doctors in training applying under Article 10 should register with the RCGP Certification Unit at the beginning of their training programme (RCGP). Once registered training needs to be documented using the ePortfolio.  In the final six weeks of the training programme an application to the RCGP also has to be made.

Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)

Applicants must be listed in the GP Register and on the Performers' List of their Primary Care Organisation before starting work in general practice in any capacity. If an application for a certificate and subsequent GP registration is pending, employment must be deferred until entry on the GP Register is achieved.

A CCT will only be awarded to an applicant where all the training posts undertaken had the prior, formal approval of the GMC.

Note: it is GP registration which is necessary for entry in the Performers' List. You do not have to be in possession of your certificate.

For all applicants:

Applicants must be fully registered with the GMC at the time at which their certificate is issued.

GMC does not interview applicants.

Who can apply?

A doctor who is training/has trained in the UK in posts that have had prior approval for training by GMC and who is following/has followed the training programme as detailed in the specialty curricula.

If you are not sure whether you meet this requirement, you should contact the RCGP.

For GPs who began their training prior to 1 August, 2007, details of the curricula requirements are available from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Certification Unit, telephone 020 3170 8230 or email certification@rcgp.org.uk.

What is the process?

GP Registrars are responsible for preparing their own applications and the accompanying required documents.

Trainees who have successfully completed their final annual review will be issued with documentation by the HEEoE which signifies the end of training.

• the final ARCP (Annual review of Competence Progression) form.

A trainee must apply to both GMC and RCGP for the award of a CCT. RCGP will provide them with details of the online registration link (via which a trainee applies to GMC).

Certificate of Eligibility for General Practice Registration through the Combined Programme route

Following the introduction of Specialty Training in August, 2007 a number of trainees have been appointed to GMC and HEEoE Specialty Training programmes above ST1 level. Such individuals will not be eligible for a CCT if they have not completed all their training in posts approved by GMC for the specialty to which they have been appointed.

Therefore, this group of doctors will have completed a "combined programme", (a combination of training in a GMC approved programme from the point of their entry to the programme to successful completion and training/experience in posts prior to appointment which were not GMC approved posts).

These "unapproved" posts prior to entry to an approved Specialty Training programme could be:

• Training in posts not approved by GMC;
• Training in posts approved by GMC but not for the specialty the doctor has been appointed to;
• Experience in non training posts; and/or
• Experience or training in posts outside the UK. (Training in specialist posts in an EU country could count as GMC approved training, providing the trainee had evidence from their home member state's competent authority that it complied with the requirements of EU directive 2205/36/EC).

The overriding factor as to whether a doctor is eligible to apply through the CEGPR combined programme (CP) route is that they MUST have been appointed to a GMC and HEEoE approved Specialty Training programme.