Disclose what the approved process requires and discuss the learning or support needed. Keep confidential source records in authorised systems and do not confuse appraisal with legal advice, treatment or an investigation.
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Distinguish declaration from detailed case reproduction.
- Plan sensitive discussions and appropriate support.
- Use reflection and digital assistance without false confidentiality promises.
Declare complaints and identify the learning
GMC: compliments and complaints ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
The GMC requires declaration and reflection on all formal complaints about you or your practice since the last appraisal, including relevant team complaints. The discussion can focus on those that illuminate insight or change, with an explanation of the selection. Relevant compliments and informal feedback can also identify strengths and learning. An unresolved complaint should not silently disappear from the account.
Use a neutral summary of status, learning and action, with the official record held in the appropriate system. If facts are disputed or an investigation is ongoing, distinguish that from an established finding. Do not use appraisal preparation to create a defensive witness statement. Where necessary, ask your defence organisation or representative about the handling of case-specific material.
Make declarations accurate and comprehensible
GMC: supporting information and declarations ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
Probity includes honesty, appropriate insurance or indemnity and management of conflicts of interest. Read each declaration rather than treating it as a routine tick box. If a question is ambiguous, obtain clarification from the appraisal team. Do not make a reassuring statement you cannot substantiate, and do not omit relevant work merely because it occurs outside your main employer.
A practical review might compare your declared scope with your indemnity arrangements, external roles and relevant interests. The aim is to identify questions for the appropriate provider, not to have this website judge coverage or legal adequacy. Keep policy numbers, legal correspondence and financial details out of the educational tools. Record only a neutral reminder to verify the arrangement.
Discuss health in terms of safe work and support
GMC: supporting information and declarations ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
A health declaration and an appraisal discussion can identify whether appropriate support is in place. They are not a substitute for assessment or treatment by a health professional. If health may affect safe practice, seek suitable clinical and occupational-health advice promptly and follow professional obligations. You should not wait for the annual meeting to address an immediate risk.
Prepare the work-related question: what support, adjustment or review would help you practise safely? You can discuss the appropriate level of information and who needs it before sharing detailed medical history. For example, the practical need may concern working patterns or access to a phased return. Avoid entering diagnoses, medications or personal health narratives into this website’s planning tools.
Keep learning notes separate from source records
GMC and partners: reflective practice principles ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
A reflection should contain enough context to explain learning without reproducing identifiable material. Removing a name may not anonymise a rare event: combinations of location, date, age, diagnosis or staff role can still identify someone. Use broad, necessary context and keep the authoritative clinical or investigation record where it belongs. Do not alter originals to create a portfolio extract.
Apply a reader test before keeping a note: could a colleague familiar with the service recognise the person? If yes, reconsider the detail and seek information-governance advice if necessary. A neutral evidence index can point to an authorised record without containing the record itself. The same caution applies when printing, emailing or exporting your own preparation.
Do not promise legal privilege or absolute secrecy
GMC and partners: disclosure of reflective notes ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
The joint reflective-practice guidance distinguishes learning notes from factual records and discusses their possible disclosure. The GMC says it does not ask doctors to provide reflective notes to investigate a concern, but that is not a guarantee against disclosure in every legal process. Obtain individual medicolegal advice if notes or statements are requested in a live case.
At appraisal, ask how sensitive information will be recorded and any necessary sharing will be handled. The appraiser may need to act on serious safety concerns. Clear boundaries support a more honest discussion than an assumption that nothing can ever leave the room. This programme cannot receive a confidential case, decide what is legally privileged or advise on an individual disclosure request.
Use digital assistance within approved arrangements
Medical Appraisal Scotland: ethical AI guidance, May 2026 ↗
Scotland; check local policy elsewhere · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
Check local rules before recording, transcribing or using AI in appraisal. Scotland’s May 2026 guidance requires transparency, appropriate local assurance and consent for recording; it preserves the human appraisal conversation and professional accountability. Do not assume that availability of a product on a personal account makes it approved for NHS material, or that consent alone resolves information-governance requirements.
For your own preparation, distinguish assistance with expression from invention of experience. Review every statement and declare use where required. This website has no facility to upload evidence, process cases or generate official reflections. Its tools use neutral planning fields and page memory; exporting creates a file you must protect yourself. Closing or reloading the page clears unsaved entries.
What information is necessary for your appraisal discussion, and what belongs only in an authorised source system?
Three takeaways
- 1Be honest without reproducing unnecessary sensitive detail.
- 2Seek the right clinical, legal or governance advice.
- 3Confidentiality has limits that should be explained.
Check your understanding
Six questions on Complaints, probity, health and confidentiality test process and practical judgement. This is educational: it does not assess your health, evidence sufficiency or decide a legal issue.
Recommended workbooks
Use neutral planning notes and keep completed workbooks on a trusted device. Do not enter identifiable cases or confidential material.
Official and professional guidance
Confirm current GMC requirements and the approved arrangements for your designated body and nation.