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Demystifying ARCP
Annual Review of Competence Progression
What is an ARCP?

The Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) looks at your progression through your year of training.  

An ARCP needs to take place annually, and at the end of each ST year; this can sometimes mean that you have more than one ARCP per year. For example, if you are going out of programme or starting maternity leave you will have an ARCP prior to the start of this or as soon as possible on your return. This will review the period from your last ARCP to the start of your OOP/paternity leave etc. Sometimes there are additional reasons that the panel may recommend that you have an additional ARCP in the year (e.g. moving up to the next level of training, or earlier completion of training) – the ARCP panel and/or your TPD recommending the additional review will have told you about this. You should be notified of the date of your ARCP at least 6 weeks beforehand. 

It is really important that you know what you need to do for your current year of training based on the PROGRESS curriculum and your own training needs, and look at this with your educational supervisor early on in your training post.  By working towards this throughout the year, and by keeping your ePortfolio organised, you should be prepared for your ARCP. 

Your outcome for your ARCP will be a number – please see further down for the full list of outcomes. 

 
What do you need to have ready for your ARCP?

Make sure your training posts are logged in Kaizen.  Please try to be as specific as possible when filling this in so that the right information will be pulled into your reports ready for the ARCP. 

  • On Kaizen- put together a folder labelled ARCP. Please label the folder with the year of training and ARCP date – e.g. ST7, December 2021 

  • Upload a completed form R (for Covid-19 this form is different – click here to get a copy of the form) 

  • Summarise your evidence for the year – list courses, certificates (e.g. APLS, NLS, Safeguarding, GMC survey participation) 

  • Your current CV 

  • Do you have completed trainee-led educational supervisor report/s?   These take quite a while to fill in – make sure you leave yourself and your trainers sufficient time to complete these in advance of your ARCP (complete these at least 10 working days before your ARCP). 

  • Ensure you have appropriate evidence and Supervisor reports recorded on Kaizen (see relevant checklist below). Remember you will need to have an educational supervisor report and clinical supervisor report for all posts being considered at this ARCP. Remember if your ES is not your CS, you will need a separate CS report for your posts.  If your ES is your CS, make sure they fill in the extra section in their form. 

  • Do you have the required WBPAs completed on ePortfolio (see table below)?     https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/assessment-guide#assessments-table

  • Have you completed a MSF for this training year?  Remember to include a variety of different health professionals in your invitation list – nurses, consultants, other trainees/ fellows and AHPs if you work with them regularly. 

  • Have you completed a Form R and trainee self-assessment and declaration form?     

  • If you are LTFT have you completed the CCT calculator?     

ARCPs and COVID-19

Early in 2020, the 4 Statutory Education Bodies (SEBs) across the UK had discussed the disruption to training and the challenges caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.  Working with GMC they agreed that there needed to be changes to the ARCP s during this time to accommodate the challenges trainees (and trainers) were faced with in preparing and providing evidence for ARCPs.  The ARCPs are normally carried out in line with the Reference Guide for Postgraduate Foundation and Specialty Training in the UK (Gold Guide 8th Edition). Three derogations were agreed from the Gold Guide: composition of ARCP panels, new ARCP outcomes and the evidence to be considered by ARCP panels 

An agreement was reached for all specialties to wherever possible (and patient safely permitting) enable trainees to continue to progress through clinical training at the normal rate providing there were no concerns about their capabilities and competency acquisition pre-Covid (see Enabling Progression at ARCP).   

Following the SEBs guidance, the RCPCH put in place the following changes to paediatric ARCPs: 

  • Defining critical progression points for each Specialty Training Programme.  The RCPCH defined critical progression points as the end of level 1 (ST3 trainees moving into ST4) and end of level 3 (trainees completing training and about to CCT) 

  • Prioritisation of ARCPs for trainees at these key progression points in their training and for trainees where there are pre-existing concerns about their clinical capability/fitness to practice. 

  • Defining the use of minimum curriculum requirements and pared down evidence which are compatible with maintaining patient safety for each year of training to inform when a trainee can progress.  The RCPCH has issued specific guidance for each level of training (there is a section on this further down). 

  • The composition of ARCP panels has been changed to allow a minimum of 2 panel members. All panels will include the Head of School and/or Training Programme Director. 

  • Two new ARCP Outcomes-Outcome 10.1 and 10.2  have been introduced, which are to be used where a trainee was achieving progress and developing competencies and capabilities at the expected rate previously (prior to the 17th of March 2020) but this has been curtailed or disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

  • The Form R has been combined with a trainee self-declaration and assessment section to be completed electronically and a pdf copy uploaded onto ePortfolio and also sent by the trainee to their educational supervisor (the current version of the form is on the revalidation and assessment page for the Deanery. 

Using this guidance, our School was able to complete all ARCPs as had been planned prior to March 2020.  We used videoconferencing platforms to help us congratulate our trainees who were being signed off for completion of training, as well as “meeting” trainees at critical points in their training. 

There are a few special circumstances which have meant that some trainees will be having a further ARCP within the next few months.  These include trainees who had their START assessment delayed and are approaching the end of their planned training.  Trainees should be aware of their next ARCP; if you are not sure if you should be having an ARCP between now and March 2021, please contact your TPD or the Deanery (assessment.eoe@hee.nhs.uk). 

 

COVID-19 specific Educational Supervision (ES) Report 

For all ARCPs up to and including Spring 2021 we will continue to use an abridged RCPCH COVID-19 Educational Supervisor Report. This is trainee-led and will reduce the time required for completion for both parties. (Sample ES Form enclosed). 

 
 
My supervisor has not completed an Educational Supervisor Trainer’s Report. What will happen?

For ARCP, every post completed within the assessment period must have an Educational Supervisor Trainer’s Report. 

If an ES has been unable to complete the report due to Covid-related issues (for instance, if an ES is shielding), the ARCP panel will look to use alternative evidence if possible, e.g. trainee self-assessment form etc to make a judgment. An appropriate Covid Outcome 10 will then be issued. 

If the ES report unavailability is unrelated to Covid, this will mean insufficient evidence has been presented and an Outcome 5 will be issued. 

 
 
Trainees moving from ST3 to ST4 during Covid-19

ST3 middle grade suitability: compensatory evidence in absence of MRCPCH 

Under normal training conditions, in order to move to ST4 from ST3, a trainees would need to meet the lebel 1 learning outcomes and key capabilities in the Progress curriculum, and have passed all parts of the MRCPCH exam. 

For ARCPs affected by COVID-19, trainees can be allowed to progress to ST4 if the ARCP panel awards an outcome 10.1 when: 

  1. All MRCPCH computer-based (theory) exams are achieved but the clinical exam has not yet been achieved 

  1. Two MSFs have been completed during level 1 (ST1-ST3) 

  1. All curriculum capabilities for level 1 training have been demonstrated or, in the educational supervisor's report, have been observed in the workplace (see table below) 

  1. There is a satisfactory COVID educational supervisor report declaring trainee is safe to move onto the middle grade (ST4) level at next rotation 

  1. The trainee has not completed any required life support training (or their life support certification has expired) but was unable to attend or book on a course due to cancellations - see ALSG and RC (UK) statements on extension of deadlines for recertification: Advanced Life Support Group and Resuscitation Council. 

The COVID educational supervisor report and the ARCP 10.1 outcome need to describe the requirements for the trainee subsequently to obtain an ARCP outcome 1 (the RCPCH can provide guidance on this where needed).  There is additional guidance on the RCPCH website about appropriate compensatory evidence for a trainee moving to ST4 without the full MRCPCH clinical exam

Trainees coming to the end of training

Trainees at the point of completion of training and intending to CCT must have undertaken the START assessment with evidence of remediation (if required) completed and clearly documented on Eportfolio in a sub-folder entitled ‘START Reflection and Remediation’ which should be placed in the ARCP folder. 

To ensure that your CCT is not delayed, it is important that all correct documentation is submitted on time. 

Please refer to the RCPCH standards for satisfactory completion of level 3 for more details. 

Your educational supervisor trainer’s report from your current post must specifically state that you are able to progress to being a consultant – there is an option for this built into the ESR form. 

 
 
Grid Trainees

In addition to the educational supervisor report, grid trainees should also ensure that they have a CSAC progression report on Kaizen that has been completed within 6 months of the date of the ARCP.  This is required annually for sub-specialty trainees. 

Grid trainees will receive their ARCP outcome based on the recommendation from their CSAC progression report and their general level 3 progression  Remember to keep putting evidence on your ePortfolio tagged to both your specialty curriculum and also the level 3 generic curriculum. 

Please contact your CSAC ASAP to arrange a CSAC review with a recommendation for the subspecialty component of ARCP outcome if you have not had one recently. 

Trainees on OOP

All trainees on OOP (except OOPC) must complete an “Out of Programme Trainee Update Form for ARCP Panel” indicating the type of OOP they are on with a summary of current OOP activity. The form must be signed by their current supervisor in order to demonstrate adequate progress (or not) during the time on OOP. 

Many trainees on OOP and academic trainees (ACLs/ACFs) will have been redeployed to acute clinical services over the past few months. 

The directive is that trainees on OOPE and OOPR should be given an OOP outcome 8 for this current ARCP. 

*Any clinical work undertaken and supervised should be documented in the trainee’s eportfolio. This will be reviewed and accredited at the next clinical ARCP. 

 Trainees on OOPT will be assessed as per a clinical ARCP and should therefore submit everything outlined in the clinical ARCP checklist, along with a completed “OOP update form for ARCP”. 

All trainees on OOPE, OOPR and OOPT should also complete the Form R and CCT calculator as well as the Exams & Courses Pro Forma. 

Trainees on OOPC should complete and submit a Form R. 

Trainees on OOPR

An academic supervisor report is necessary to document your academic progress through the year. If any time has been agreed to count toward your training and CCT, please state this and upload the approval letter from the Regional Adviser. During the pandemic, you may not have been able to undertake your research and may have been redeployed into a clinical service. This will need to be discussed with your TPD outside of your ARCP. 

All trainees on OOPE, OOPR and OOPT should also complete the Form R and CCT calculator as well asthe Exams & Courses Pro Forma. 

Trainees on OOPC should complete and submit a Form R. 

 
 
Impact of Redeployment due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

We know that many trainees will have been redeployed to other services or had a change in their working pattern, including moving to adult services.  Some may have had to change hospitals or step out of their specialty the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Progress curriculum is outcomes-based and affords some flexibility in allowing progression as it does not mandate specific experience or length of rotations, plus the key capabilities described are specific to each training level and are not requirements for every training year. The RCPCH is very clear that suitability for progression should be judged with reference to the Progress key capabilities required for each level, not time-based experience. 

Where there are issues with capability acquisition due to Covid, it is hoped that trainees will be able to ‘close the capability gap’ in the next training year. 

This will be reviewed in your next ARCP. If necessary, your TPD will discuss adjusting your future placements to help you with achieving this. 

 
 
ARCPs for Trainees on parental leave/ long-term sick leave – please complete your form R!

Trainees who are not currently actively in the programme due to parental leave/ long-term sick leave are not required to maintain their ePortfolio or participate in the ARCP process.  We will still require you to submit a Form R. 

You will be issued with an Outcome 0 and the relevant ‘N’ code to indicate why you were not reviewed this year. 

Covid-19 minimum evidence requirements

What are the required minimum number of SLEs and AoPs? 

The minimum evidence requirements for progression have been modified by the RCPCH as part of the way trainees are expected to evidence their learning during the pandemic. The RCPCH Covid-19 minimum evidence requirements guide is summarised in the table below. 

 

Covid-19 minimum evidence requirements 

This table indicates the minimum evidence requirements set out by the RCPCH to allow an ARCP outcome 1 and/ or trainee progression subject to conditions outlined in the RCPCH COVID-19 ARCP and Educational Supervisor guidance.  

Less than Full-time trainee and SLE/AoPs 

Trainees who work LTFT must still complete an annual assessment and should still follow the standard checklist. 

The only difference is that you will complete a pro-rata amount of WPBA according to the % WTE that you have worked. The panel will generally round upwards when calculating pro-rata requirements. 

What happens if I do not complete all the requirements in time?

At the time that the ARCP panel conducts the eportfolio review, all necessary assessments and reports etc. must be clearly evident. If this is not the case, trainees will be issued with an Outcome 2 or infrequently, an Outcome 5. 

 An Outcome 5 is an outcome issued when trainees have not provided evidence of all of the requirements for a satisfactory outcome. 

The outcome summary will specify what requirements have not been met/ what evidence is missing. 

Trainees have 2 weeks from the date on which the Outcome 5 is issued in which to submit the outstanding information requested 

The ARCP panel chair will then review the eportfolio, complete another ARCP form and hopefully issue a satisfactory outcome. Failure to provide the evidence will result in an Outcome 2 or 3. 

 
 
Form R, Revalidation and Covid-19

The Form R is required every year for revalidation and to ensure that HEE records of trainee personal information details are up to date. 

This year, the Form R has been combined with a Self-assessment and declaration section. 

In the self-assessment section, trainees are asked to: 

  • assess their progress up to the point of Covid-19 

  • comment on whether their training may have been impacted by Covid-19 

  • indicate if they would like to have a discussion about their training and if they have concerns about their training and/or wellbeing 

  • indicate any changes to their placements as a result of Covid-19 

  

The completed form will be sent to your educational supervisor for validation. 

The form can be accessed by following clicking here: 

 
 
ARCP outcome codes

Outcome 1 
Satisfactory progress-achieving progress and the development of competencies at the expected rate 

Outcome 2 
Development of specific competencies required-Additional training time not required 

Outcome 3 
Inadequate progress-Additional training time required 

Outcome4 
Released from training programme-With or without specified competencies 

Outcome 5 
Incomplete evidence presented-Additional training time may be required. You will have 2 working weeks from your ARCP to provide the required evidence in order for you to receive a satisfactory outcome. 

Outcome 6 
Gained all required competencies-will be recommended as having completed the training programme and recommended for the award of a CCT 

Outcome 8 
Out of Programme for clinical experience (OOPE) research (OOPR) or a career break (OOPC) 

N Codes 
No Outcome issued as trainee is not actively in the training programme (parental leave or other statutory leave) 

 
 
Covid specific Outcomes

In addition to the outcomes above, there are 2 new Covid-19 specific outcomes: 
An outcome 10 will be considered by the ARCP panel only when the trainee has been unable to evidence components of the assessment pathway that are mandatory for progression to the next level of training because of COVID-19. 

Outcomes 10.1 and 10.2 recognise that trainee’s progress has been satisfactory and acquisition of capabilities by the trainee has been delayed by COVID-19 disruption. These are therefore ‘no-fault’ outcomes. 

Outcome 10.1 
Clinical progress is satisfactory but the acquisition of competencies/capabilities has been delayed by Covid-19 disruption. The trainee is not at a critical progression point in their programme and can progress to the next stage of their training but will be reviewed at the next ARCP and may require additional training time following that review. 

Outcome 10.2 
Clinical progress is satisfactory but the acquisition of competencies/capabilities has been delayed by Covid-19 disruption. The trainee is at a critical progression point in their programme and additional training time is required. 

More information about the Outcome 10 codes is available here.  

 
 
Why is there more than one outcome showing on my ePortfolio?

  • If you are a Grid trainee, you will receive two outcomes for each assessment round – one for your generic paediatric training and one for your subspecialty training. 

  • If you have spent part of the year Out of Programme (OOP), you will receive an outcome 8 for the portion of the year spent OOP and a separate outcome for the time spent in clinical training. 

  • If you have received an Outcome 5, this will always be followed by a final outcome (e.g. outcome 1, 2 or 3) at a later date.  However, the Outcome 5 will remain on your record. 

     
 
Links to relevant and helpful Documents:
Thursday, 3 December, 2020
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