Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP) is the means by which surgeons in training are reviewed to ensure that they are offering safe, high quality patient care, and to assess their progress against standards set down in the curriculum. It is also the means by which their full scope of work review is undertaken to satisfy revalidation requirements.
The trainee's learning portfolio provides evidence of progress and achievements during the year. It is a trainee’s responsibility to ensure that the documentary evidence is uploaded to the portfolio by the published submission date. Any evidence uploaded late will not be seen.
Trainees are no longer participate in the ARCP panel discussions in accordance with HEE guidance. The panel will review the portfolio online to assess progress and agree the ARCP outcome.
The documentation required includes:
- ISCP portfolio: current and up to date for the stage of training, with the required number of WBAs recorded. An MSF is essential for every year by every trainee.
- An up to date curriculum vitae.
- Evidence of audit, courses, exams, conferences/meetings, presentations, publications, research, teaching etc
- Log of Regional Training Day attendance including reasons for any non-attendance. This information should be uploaded to the ‘Other evidence’ section of the ISCP
- e-logbook ( and log of endoscopy training if relevant) must be up to date and visible within ISCP.
- Training reports must be uploaded on ISCP by the Assigned Educational Supervisor and by all Clinical Supervisors. Clinical Supervisor reports should reflect both elective and emergency training and should cover knowledge, clinical skills, professional behaviour and leadership. From August 2021 those trainees changing to new curriculum will produce a multi-consultant report to cover the above.
- Enhanced Form R for revalidation purposes
- Wider Scope of Practice (if applicable)
- All trainees must upload a completed ST4 or ST6 or CCT check list- whichever is closer to their stage of training. This can be found on the JCST website
- Outline of objectives for the next period of training ( mapped to the curriculum requirements).
The ARCP outcome charts each trainees’ progress through the curriculum and identifies specific training needs for the following period of training. The results of the review will be recorded on the ISCP within the ARCP section.
Those given an unsatisfactory outcome ( ie other than outcome 1 or 6) must have a feedback discussion with their TPD and/or AES to address the issues of concern. Trainees awarded a satisfactory outcome are also invited to a discussion with their TPD, but must meet with their AES to discuss the outcome and objectives, in order to focus their objectives for their next period of training appropriately.
Please also refer to the Global Objectives on each trainee’s portfolio and read the new General Surgery Curriculum ISCP for more information
https://www.iscp.ac.uk/media/1103/general-surgery-curriculum-aug-2021-approved-oct-20v3.pdf