What happens at an ARCP Panel?

Every year, from around February onwards trainees (me included) are often filled with dread at the prospect of an ARCP in a few months’ time. It doesn’t matter if it is your first, last or somewhere in the middle, they can be a daunting prospect. The ongoing mystery of the ARCP Panel and process definitely adds to this.

This article aims to demystify the ARCP panel and process by going through what happens at a panel based on the information available to resident doctors in training.

The Gold Guide https://tinyurl.com/jdckz63b

NHS Education for Scotland website (https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainee-information/annual-review-of-competence-progression-arcp).

ARCP

You should have been emailed the date of your ARCP around six months in advance, and you can also find them here (https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainee-information/annual-review-of-competence-progression-arcp/arcp-dates-2025/). This year the foundation programme ARCP dates are in mid- to late-June depending on where you are.

At your ARCP, a panel (see below) will review evidence that you’ve submitted throughout the year and issue an ARCP outcome (also see below). You may then be invited to a meeting with the ARCP panel or senior people in medical education to discuss the outcome further, which will usually be within two weeks of the ARCP date.

All trainees who are in a locum appointed training post or out of programme will have an ARCP, and less than full time trainees will still have an annual ARCP.

The Panel

The foundation ARCP panel consists of two medical educators (e.g associate postgraduate director, programme director) and an administrator. Core or specialty panels have two to six medical educators present. There may also be a lay, external,  academic, or Defence Deanery representative there too.

In exceptional circumstances, panel sizes can be reduced to allow the ARCP process to continue.

The Lay Representative

The Gold Guide requires that a lay representative reviews over 10% of all ARCP outcomes. The purpose of the lay representative is to observe the process followed by the ARCP panel to ensure it is followed correctly. They will not give an opinion on the trainee’s progress.

Outcomes

The ARCP panel will recommend one of six outcomes (see table below). If you are in a locum post there are specific outcomes that apply to you. All details are available from page 74 onwards in The Gold Guide.

You will receive an automated email from Turas within one working day to inform you of your outcome, and it will be recorded on your ePortfolio. You need to acknowledge your ARCP outcome on your college ePortfolio and on Turas, usually within 7 days of it being issued.

Although you cannot meet your panel or attend the Panel, you can request to meet your educational supervisor or training programme director to discuss anything. You can then formally appeal an ARCP outcome if you do not agree with it (though you cannot appeal an outcome 5).

You can find out more about the ARCP process including the panel on the NHS Education for Scotland website, including a really useful FAQ section here: https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainee-information/annual-review-of-competence-progression-arcp/faqs-introduction-to-your-arcp/

Ralph Shackleton, Anaesthetics CT1 in West of Scotland