ARCP for Public Health
All registrars in public health will be formally assessed at least annually through the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP). The Gold Guide has full details on how the ARCP process should be followed. This is the key reference on the topic. Assessment of educational progress is through the review of the registrar's portfolio and supervisors’ reports.
- Notification of ARCP dates will be a minimum of 6 weeks in advance - although we aim to give much longer notice where possible. Broadly, we aim for an ARCP in March/April and in October/November each year.
- It is a registrar's responsibility to ensure that their portfolio includes all the required evidence - and in good time - for their Educational Supervisor to assess before the key educational review meeting. Please allow Educational Supervisors at least two weeks to assess the portfolio before the review meeting. It is the output of this educational review meeting - in the form of the Educational Supervisor report (ESR) - which is passed to the ARCP panel. Documents and evidence which are submitted less than 2 weeks before ARCP won't be accepted by the ARCP panel.
- Registrars are only expected to attend an ARCP panel in person if there is a possibility their progress is considered anything other than "satisfactory". Registrars will be made aware of any potential concerns in advance as these will be discussed during educational review meetings with their Educational Supervisor.
- Registrars on maternity leave or out of programme (OOPE or OOPC) will not be required to submit their portfolio but are required to submit Form R (part B).
Guidance on the process is available for download from this page.
It is very important that the "Training Record Form" is completed accurately as this information is used to calculate CCT date, and persuade the GMC/UKPHR/FPH that the right amount of training has been completed in the right locations. See the FAQ button below for tips on completing the Training Record Form.
Information on ARCP can be found here.
It is extremely important that NHSE WTE EoE and the programme have accurate details of the exact dates and names of training locations. It is this information that persuades the FPH and GMC/UKPHR that a registrar has spent the right amount of time in the relevant types of location.
NHSE WTE has its own database (TIS) which tracks registrar progress as well and this information comes from the Form R (Part B) and training record form.
We need the exact detail to calculate an accurate CCT date and there have been several occasions when this cannot be done with the information submitted. It is also challenging trying to work out different reported dates and locations in retrospect and check back with individuals/TIS etc.
Common mistakes and advice to avoid them
1) Using different or the wrong names for the location:-
The GMC approves certain locations for training (we need to update the GMC from time to time, and updates needed following any re-organisation). See the GMC website for details of training locations that are approved https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/guidance/programme-and-site-approvals or the PHTP approved list of locations:https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/public_health/specialty-training-programme/placements-and-training-locations.
2) Health protection attachments
There is a curriculum requirement for three months in a health protection location. This therefore needs to appear on each registrar record as such. However, it does not always get recorded in this way.
eg if you regard yourself as being basically based in a Bedford local authority, but spend three months with the health protection team:-
•Wrong: The location is only shown as a Bedford LA with no reference to the HPT;
•Wrong: The location is shown as a Bedford LA with a note in brackets "including three months at the HPT".
•Wrong: Both Bedford LA and the HPT are listed on the training record as separate locations, but these are with overlapping time periods making it look as though the registrar is working 100% in two locations at the same time.
•Correct: The location record shows the registrar leaving a Bedford LA, moving to the HPT for three months, and then returning to a “new” location in a Bedford LA (even though this is really a continuation of the previous placement.)
3) Dates: "No Gaps"
Unless registrars really do leave employment with the lead employer, location dates need to run continuously with no gaps:-
•Wrong: Leaving location A on Thursday 2nd, with a long weekend including annual leave and new placement recorded as starting on Monday 6th.
•Correct: Leaving location A on Thursday 2nd, have a long weekend including annual leave and record the new placement as starting on Friday 3rd. Even if there is a weekend, a Bank Holiday, annual leave or time Out Of Programme between placements, this muist be allocated to one or another of the placements so that there are no days unallocated.
Maternity leave: although registrars may take accrued annual leave at the end of maternity leave, the start date for return from work is the day after maternity leave ends.
4) Split placements:
These can be complicated especially with three-way splits which start and stop at different dates but it is important to ensure that each separate location is recorded accurately.
This must be completed for each ARCP and is a critical element of compliance with revalidation requirements. The form gets updated from time to time. Check the link to ensure you are using the latest version: Form R (Part B).
