Discuss the whole practice, supporting information, learning and a realistic development plan.
Flagship professional guideAppraisal, Revalidation
Appraisal, Revalidation
& the Professional Portfolio
Make sense of the process, organise evidence across your practice and turn the annual conversation into useful development.
The GMC decides whether you may continue to hold a licence, using the relevant recommendation and information.
Keep reliable sources and prepare accounts for different purposes without confusing their standards.
Use the tools without submitting your information
Planning notes stay in this open page and can be downloaded as text. They are not saved automatically. Reading and questions work without optional cookies; enabling learning storage lets this browser remember quiz results. Never enter identifiable cases or confidential material.
Cookie and browser-storage settings →What do you need to do?
This suggests a reading route. It does not decide your connection, assess readiness or interpret an individual GMC letter.
How to use this programme
Start with your practice, then build the evidence
Follow Modules 1–12 for a complete foundation, or use the route finder for today’s task. Each lesson includes practical teaching, three next actions, six questions with explanations, a full PDF and the sources to check.
Tools and worksheets help you prepare. Use your employer’s or designated body’s approved system for the actual appraisal record. An educational score or a completed checklist cannot establish revalidation readiness.
Private learning progress
0 of 12 module checks completed
Learning storage is off. Reading, questions and planning tools still work; results are not remembered.
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Complete learning pathway
Twelve modules for a working professional portfolio
Five stages connect the process, evidence, conversation and development plan.
Stage 1
Understand the system
01
Appraisal, revalidation and the portfolio: three different purposes
→02Understand the annual professional conversation, the regulatory decision and the evidence you build for your working life.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFYour designated body, responsible officer and national appraisal route
→Find the correct connection and appraisal route, including arrangements across employers and the four UK nations.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFStage 2
Build the evidence
03
Map your whole practice and organise supporting information
→04Create a proportionate evidence index that includes clinical, educational, leadership and other medical roles.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFPrepare for appraisal and make the conversation productive
→Plan preparation, select useful discussion topics, agree a realistic output and follow up unresolved matters.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFStage 3
Use supporting information
05
CPD and reflection: turn learning into better practice
→06Choose relevant learning, record its impact and write authentic reflection without turning experience into a collection of certificates.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFQuality improvement and significant events: evidence of learning
→07Show meaningful participation in improvement and explain learning from safety events without confusing appraisal with incident investigation.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFPatient and colleague feedback: collect fairly and use thoughtfully
→08Plan meaningful feedback across different roles, patient groups and working arrangements, with alternatives agreed where necessary.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFComplaints, probity, health and confidentiality
→Make honest declarations and discuss learning while protecting patients, colleagues and your own sensitive information.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFStage 4
Plan development
09
Build a personal development plan that can be delivered
→10Turn learning needs into realistic objectives, agreed support, evidence of progress and a useful review.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFAppraisal through LED posts, locum work, transitions and career breaks
→Protect continuity of evidence and support through short posts, changing employers, overseas transitions and time away from practice.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFStage 5
Review and sustain
11
Revalidation decisions, deferral and concerns about engagement
→12Understand recommendations and GMC decisions, respond to information requests and distinguish an agreed deferral from non-engagement.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFOne professional evidence system, several career purposes
→Maintain a credible portfolio that supports appraisal, development and future roles while preserving the requirements of each separate process.
12 min read · six questions · complete PDFPut the learning to work
Prepare, map, plan and review
Choose a tool below. Use neutral notes, download what you need and transfer appropriate information to the approved system.
Preparation checklist
Eight areas to review
Tick an area after checking it, rather than merely locating a document. This is a planning aid, not a pass/fail assessment.
0 of 8 areas reviewed. Review the unticked areas and agree any action needed.
Checks are held in this page only. Completion is not confirmation that a portfolio is sufficient.
Whole-practice evidence mapper
Link the role, evidence and next action
Use one row for a useful role-and-category combination. A row or attachment is not proof of sufficiency; discuss the proportionate evidence needed.
Use neutral planning notes only. Do not enter names, GMC numbers, identifiable cases, health details or confidential employer information. Entries stay in this open page, are not saved automatically and are lost when you leave or reload. Download only on a trusted device and store the file appropriately.
Personal development plan builder
Prepare a proposed PDP
Keep the plan small enough to deliver. This tool allows up to five objectives for convenience; it is not a GMC numerical requirement. Discuss and agree the plan through your appraisal process.
Use neutral planning notes only. Do not enter names, GMC numbers, identifiable cases, health details or confidential employer information. Entries stay in this open page, are not saved automatically and are lost when you leave or reload. Download only on a trusted device and store the file appropriately.
Patient and colleague feedback planner
Plan fair collection and useful reflection
Formal patient and colleague feedback are each normally required at least once in the revalidation cycle. Discuss appropriate alternatives with the responsible-officer team if your practice needs a different approach; do not simply omit a category.
Use neutral planning notes only. Do not enter names, GMC numbers, identifiable cases, health details or confidential employer information. Entries stay in this open page, are not saved automatically and are lost when you leave or reload. Download only on a trusted device and store the file appropriately.
Consider the range of people receiving your service, appropriate accessible methods and how selection bias will be reduced. Avoid cherry-picking positive respondents.
Confirm the proposed method and any alternative arrangements before collecting formal feedback.
Illustrative preparation calendar
Plan around an appraisal date
Enter your proposed meeting date. These suggested preparation intervals are educational choices, not GMC or employer deadlines. Your actual submission timetable and official letters take priority.
The date stays in this page only. No reminders are sent. This tool does not calculate revalidation, appeal or legal deadlines.
Accessible worksheets and offline resources
Eight workbooks for different tasks
Use the webpage version for accessible reading and browser printing, or download the PDF for offline work. Store completed files securely.
Appraisal Route and Connection Checklist
Confirm the responsible officer, approved system, national route and arrangements when work changes.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Whole-practice Scope and Evidence Workbook
Describe roles, map supporting information and agree a proportionate plan for gaps.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Annual Appraisal Preparation and Conversation Pack
Prepare the agenda, review the previous plan, check the output and follow through.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓CPD, Reflection and Improvement Workbook
Connect a learning need with activity, application, evidence and evaluation.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Patient and Colleague Feedback Planner
Plan fair collection, accessible methods, reflection and a proportionate response.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Personal Development Plan Builder and Review Workbook
Define objectives, learning methods, support, evidence and review decisions.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Career Transition and Revalidation Action Planner
Maintain continuity through job moves, career breaks, evidence gaps and official requests.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Professional Portfolio Maintenance and Career Guide
Keep sources reliable while preparing different accounts for appraisal and career development.
Read the accessible worksheet →Download PDF ↓Situational judgement exercise
Appraisal and professional portfolio challenge
Work through 24 situations about evidence, appraisal, feedback, development and revalidation. This is a learning exercise, not an assessment of your portfolio or fitness to practise.
Question 1 of 24
Choose one answer to continue.
Four-nation starting points
Confirm your approved appraisal route
Hospital SAS and LED arrangements may differ from GP and formal-training systems. Ask the relevant appraisal team before registering with a platform or assuming that a process applies.
England
Start with your designated body’s appraisal team. Confirm its approved system and local preparation arrangements.
NHS England appraisal resources ↗WalesHEIW provides MARS Medical and revalidation resources. Confirm the appropriate medical route and local arrangements.
MARS Medical and HEIW ↗ScotlandUse Medical Appraisal Scotland, SOAR and the local health-board appraisal team; dedicated SAS preparation resources are available.
Medical Appraisal Scotland: SAS support ↗Northern IrelandHospital SAS and LED doctors should confirm arrangements with their HSC trust appraisal team. Whole-practice appraisal sits within wider governance.
Department of Health NI and GMC statement ↗Connected professional guides
Use the programme that matches the decision
Appraisal can identify development needs, but employment progression, specialist registration and regulatory investigations have separate requirements.