Frequently Asked Questions on ARCP
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I am on OOP. Do I need to take part in the ARCP process?
Yes, Trainees on OOP must still participate in the annual ARCP process.
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” and Form R.
Trainees on OOPE and OOPR should also complete an “OOP update form for ARCP” which should be signed by their OOP supervisor in order to demonstrate adequate progress during the time OOP. A Form R, Placement Pro Forma and Exams & Courses Pro Forma should also be provided.
Trainees on OOPR (research) should ensure they follow the Academic Trainees Checklist for ARCP.
Trainees on OOPC should also complete the relevant portions of an “OOP Update form for ARCP”, sign it & submit along with a Placement Pro Forma, Exams & Courses Pro Forma and Form R. This is to confirm your continued registration on the programme. This form does not need to be signed by your Supervisor.
I am on maternity leave/ long-term sick leave. Do I need to take part in the ARCP process?
Trainees who are not currently in the programme due to maternity leave/ long-term sick leave are not required to maintain their eportfolio or participate in the ARCP process. If this applies to you and you have been contacted regarding the ARCP process, please email https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/tickets/new?form_7=true so that we can ensure our records are updated to reflect this.
If you have returned to the programme following any of the above, you will normally participate in the ARCP process and be asked to complete assessments on a pro-rata basis i.e. if you will only spend 9 months in training between September 2018– September 2019, you should complete 75% of the WPBA prior to the ARCP deadline. However, as the programme is competency based (rather than time based), you may choose to complete 100% of the assessments in this shorter time and ‘catch up’ any time spent out of training. If this is the case, please indicate to us that you have done this when you submit your ARCP paperwork. You should also ensure support of your educational supervisor.
If you will only spend a very short amount of time in the programme in-between September 2018–September 2019, it may be appropriate to postpone your ARCP until the winter ARCP round in February, 2020. If you think this might apply to you please email https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/tickets/new?form_7=true to confirm your circumstances. We will then issue you with ARCP Outcome U and the relevant ‘N’ code to indicate why you were not reviewed.
I am an academic trainee. What paperwork do I need to complete?
ACFs, CLs and those on OOPR should follow the Academic Trainees Checklist available at the link (ARCP Checklist - Academic).
I am coming to the end of my training. What do I need to do for my ARCP?
Requirements for trainees approaching CCT are the same as for your usual ARCP with the addition that the START assessment must have been undertaken and any resulting remediation discussed with your educational supervisor and clearly documented on Eportfolio. We recommend the creation of a folder titled ‘START Reflection and Remediation’ in the documents or Developmental Log section of Eportfolio
To ensure that your CCT is not delayed, it is very important that all the requirements for the completion of training for generic and any subspecialty training is clearly documented on Eportfolio by the time of the ARCP. This includes completion of all mandatory WBPAs.
Your trainers report from your current post must specifically note that your supervisor agrees that you are able to progress to being a consultant.
Trainees at the end of their training receive an ARCP Outcome 6 – ‘Gained all required competences’.
What is my CCT date?
The RCPCH has a useful calculator at this link (or download here). This is not everyone's favourite. Ultimately, CCT can me moved, but needs process behind the move. Please check with a TPD if you are not sure.
I'm keen to fast track. How do I go about this?
There is some more information on the school website at https://londonpaediatrics.co.uk/current-trainees/fast-track-accelerating-training/ and also at the college https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/shape-paediatric-training-faqs. The bottom line is that progression is through demonstration of competence, not through the passage of time. That said, there are minimum times at each level.
To fast track, you have to notify the school via the portal at least 6 months before an ARCP where the panel can review your change of level.
Can I have an extension to the deadline?
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer extensions to the deadline. In order to get through the large number of Paediatric trainees being assessed, this process must begin promptly. If the information is not there at the time of the ARCP, you will get an Outcome 5. You will get an email telling you what is missing, and 2 weeks to get the missing details. If these are still not there, then it will change to an Outcome 2.
I am a Grid Trainee. Do I need to submit any additional information?
You should make it clear on your Placement pro-forma that you are a Grid/sub-specialty trainee. You should also ensure that you have a CSAC progression report on Kaizen that is within 6 months of the ARCP date which for the purposes of this ARCP is anytime from January 2019. This is required annually for sub-specialty trainees.
Grid trainees will receive two ARCP outcomes – one for their general paediatric training and one for their sub-specialty training. It is therefore possible, for example, to receive both an Outcome 1 and an Outcome 5 in the same round on the same ARCP Outcome Form. If you have an Outcome 5 for either general or subspecialty training, you must ensure you submit the outstanding documentation within 2 weeks.
Meeting the Requirements:
I can't get onto an APLS or NLS Course, what do I do?
We realise there has been a lot of anxiety about not having NLS/APLS for the upcoming ARCP. Up to date NLS & APLS are mandatory requirements for all trainees but we understand the difficulty everyone faces securing a place on a course.
After discussion in the TPD meeting the decision with regards to ARCP is as follows:
1) ST1-ST7
- there is no requirement to have completed APLS or NLS if you have struggled to get on the course
- however if you are booked on for next year please state that on your forms
- otherwise please attempt again over the next academic year to get into one.
2) ST8/CCT
- if you are CCT-ing we realise there is a requirement for you to have got APLS & NLS
- Jonathan will check the colleges position on this with the VP. However with the ARCP deadline coming up this is what TPDs have decided:
- if you have a secured a place on an upcoming course: show evidence that you have booked this with the confirmation email uploaded to your portfolio
- if you have not been successful in securing a place on APLS or NLS then please show evidence of your attempts by uploading copies of these emails to your portfolio. But please do keep trying to get onto a future course.
How many WPBA do I have to complete?
Details of the required WPBA for each level of training can be found on the RCPCH website: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/assessment-guide
For most types of assessment, there is no longer a minimum number required. The focus has now shifted to one of quality rather than quantity and assessments will be scrutinised by the panel to ensure that they are being used regularly and appropriately as a developmental tool. It is recommended that trainees at all levels do at least one or two SLEs each month.
I am a flexible trainee. How many WPBA do I have to complete?
Trainees who work flexibly must still complete an annual assessment and should 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 always round upwards when calculating pro-rata requirements.
As the programme is competency based rather than time based, you may choose to complete additional WPBA in order to ‘fast-track’ your training. If you choose to do this, please make this clear when submitting your ARCP paperwork to ensure that your outcome reflects this.
Your Educational Supervisor must also clearly indicate in the ESTR that you are ready in their opinion to move to the next level of training.
What WPBAs can I count towards my ARCP?
Only WPBAs completed on eportfolio will be counted towards this ARCP. Please note that ‘submitted’ or ‘awaiting response’ assessments will not count. You must ensure that all assessments have multiple ‘green ticks’ beside them which indicate that they are complete.
What happens if I do not complete all the requirements in time?
If, when the panel conduct your review, there is any paperwork missing or you have not submitted all of the required documents on eportfolio (WPBA, trainer’s reports, MSF, Form R), you are likely to be issued with an “ARCP Outcome 5 - Incomplete evidence presented - additional training time may be required”.
Your outcome will detail what documents are outstanding and you will be given a further deadline by which to submit this, usually 2 weeks.
ARCP Outcome 5 is not a final outcome and after the deadline has passed, the panel chair will review your paperwork again. If you have submitted all documentation requested by the panel, you will be issued a satisfactory outcome.
However, the ARCP Outcome 5 will remain on your record.
If, when the panel revisit your assessment, you have still not completed all the requirements, you are likely to be issued with an unsatisfactory outcome.
What happens if I do not have the exams required for my level of training?
Obtaining 2 parts of the MRCPCH exams is a core competency for the completion of ST2 training. Full MRCPCH is required to complete ST3 training. During 2020 and 2021 there was change to this because of COVID-19, but it is likely this flexibility will end.
If you have not yet passed the relevant exams by the time of the ARCP review, you will be issued with an “ARCP Outcome 3- Inadequate progress by the trainee – additional training time required”.
This is usually issued for a period of 12 months to give you additional time to get your exams. The ARCP 3 will extend your training time and you will not progress to the next level of training. However, if you have met all of the other competencies, the panel will often permit you to move into your next scheduled post, even if this is at the next level. For example, if you have not achieved full MRCPCH at the end of ST3, you may be able to progress to an ST4 post and will then be an ‘ST3 trainee in an ST4 post’.
As the programme is competency based rather than time based, trainees are often able to ‘catch up’ with themselves when they achieve the exam and avoid having their CCT date extended by completing Level 2 (ST4/5) training in 12 months.
What do I need to do with my Enhanced Form R?
The Enhanced Form R is required every year for revalidation and to ensure our records are up to date. The Enhanced Form R is also a signed confirmation of your continued registration on the training programme. The form is now electronic and will be emailed to you by HEE. Once completed download the form and upload to your portfolio as instructed. (see some updated instructions in the next FAQ)
How do I upload form R into my portfolio for ARCP?
HEE have recently sent out the following email as they have identified trainees are experiencing issues with uploading the Form R to their portfolio. I have included their direct guidance here.
It appears that some of you are uploading a confirmation receipt to the portfolio and not the saved Form R itself. Without the Form R proper the ARCP panel has no option but to award an Outcome 5 and issue an instruction to upload the form.
If you have already submitted your Form R, please could you check you have uploaded the Form R and not your confirmation receipt.
If you are yet to complete your Form R please follow the instructions below to do so properly. You can access Form R here - https://healtheducationyh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/london-and-kss-form-r-and-self-assessment-202223
When you complete your Form R and get to the last page, you will see two sections:
1. Completion receipt – this is only a confirmation that you have completed the form. Clicking the Download PDF in this section merely saves the receipt not the Form R.
2. Download my responses – it directs you to my responses and you have only 15 minutes to view your form, here you can save and download the full Form R. PLEASE UPLOAD THIS TO YOUR PORTFOLIO
In order to download your Form R, please disregard Download PDF under completion receipt and go to Download my responses instead.
My supervisor has completed an End of Post / Supervision Meeting report instead of the Educational Supervisor Trainer’s Report. What should I do?
For ARCP, every post that you have completed in the assessment period must have an Educational Supervisor Trainer’s Report. This should include the Clinical Supervision element toward the end of the report, or a separate Clinical Supervisor Trainer’s Report if your Educational Supervisor did not also supervise you clinically. Although there is some overlap between these reports and the other supervision reports available on Kaizen, the Educational/Clinical Supervisor Trainer’s Report is the only report that covers all of the areas required for revalidation purposes. Therefore, if your supervisor has used a different form, you will need to contact them urgently to request that they complete the correct form ahead of the ARCP deadline. If your supervisor is no longer linked to you on Kaizen, you can add them yourself. If you have any difficulties with this you can contact the eportfolio team eportfolio@rcpch.ac.uk