All Appraisers will have completed formal training for the role and undertake ongoing professional development.
It is not your Appraiser who makes a revalidation recommendation about you. They will produce an appraisal summary in agreement with yourself. This summary and up to four other summaries inform the RO when contemplating a revalidation recommendation. During a normal revalidation 5-year cycle you will have a minimum of 3 different Appraisers.
All Appraisers are individuals so each appraisal from organisation to preparation and meeting may be conducted slightly differently however they should all maintain the following key elements:
- Good preparation before the appraisal meeting and a good grasp of the appraisee’s folder
- Prompt and reliable (either via email or phone) in corresponding with the appraisee prior to and after the meeting as required
- Making the appraisee feel comfortable during the appraisal meeting by having a supportive conversation and highlighting things that have gone well in the past year for the doctor from the information provided
- Providing structure for the meeting, allowing important elements from the appraisee’s point of view to come to the fore. Sometimes wellbeing issues are more important than other elements, there may be a structural change in the working environment and of course discussing and validating any supporting information present.
- Identifying constraints to the appraisees progression (even if not obviously stated by the appraisee)
- Facilitating and challenging the appraisee to think more deeply about what they’ve entered as their supporting information
- Trying to allow and facilitate the doctor to recognise areas in which they may need to develop – maybe use these to agree a PDP item
- Reminding doctors that they should cover all areas of their practice
- Being aware of the doctor’s revalidation date and help keep track of various supporting information categories and remind the appraisee to complete them, possibly including this in the PDP
- Having sufficient knowledge to be able to sign post the doctor to various sources of help or guidance if needed
- Writing a professional and accurate summary of the appraisal meeting within a reasonable time frame
- Being knowledgeable about all aspects of appraisal and revalidation and be able to answer any questions from the appraisee or be able to find out the answer and get back to them