MRCGP: information for deaneries, supervisors and trainers

Promoting Excellence for General Practice

The RCGP and COGPED are very pleased to announce the launch of the latest version of “Promoting Excellence for General Practice: Application of GMC Standards to GP Specialty Training”.

In January 2016, the GMC published ‘Promoting excellence: standards for medical education and training’. It sets out the standards all UK organisations responsible for training in all specialties must meet medical students, foundations, and trainees.

This guide, produced jointly by COGPED and the RCGP, provides specific guidance on GP specialty training, clarifying and expanding on the requirements of the GMC's "Promoting excellence: standards for medical education and training" in a GP context. It focuses on areas where there are significant differences between GP specialty training and training in other specialties, as well as on areas of risk in delivering high-quality GP specialty training. It also covers all years of the GP training programme and all the environments in which GP specialty training takes place, NHS and non-NHS, including OOH providers, in all parts of the UK.

This guide will be reviewed on an annual basis. The current version was released in July 2022.

  • The definition of "Assessments" has been amended to include the RCA.
  • The guidance for R1.18 has been amended to provide greater clarity.
  • The supplementary guidance for R2.19 has been removed to reflect the changing legislative landscape.

We produce a range of resources for use by deaneries, supervisors and trainers involved in delivering GP training.

GMC requirements for assessors

The following table sets out how Local Education Providers (LEPs) can meet the requirements set out in the GMC’s “Excellence by Design”.

GMC Requirement
Details of requirementDetails of how the requirement can be met
CR 4.9
As part of the programme of assessment, guidance must be provided about the nature, role and responsibilities of assessors and examiners.
LEPs must provide training in conducting workplace-based assessment and the roles and responsibilities of assessors. Extensive resources are available to support the delivery of such training on the RCGP website, in the WPBA section.
CR 4.10
Organisations must set out appropriate requirements and guidance to enable assessors and examiners to make professional judgements about learners’ performance and behaviour to an agreed standard.
GP trainee assessors must be trained in how to use the WPBA tools and be familiar with the GP curriculum. The WPBA section of the RCGP website contains all information required to support this training. GP trainee assessors should demonstrate familiarity with the capability descriptors and should also have opportunities to undertake calibration exercises with other GP trainee assessors.  
CR 4.12
Organisations must make sure assessors and examiners are able to distinguish consistently between different levels of performance and behaviour.
Participation in benchmarking and calibration sessions at educational events should enable GP trainee assessors to demonstrate consistency in their assessments of capability across the breadth of workplace-based assessments. The LEP should highlight the capability descriptors included in the RCGP workplace-based assessments. This should be part of the initial and ongoing training.
CR 4.13
Organisations must indicate where professional development is required including on the equality and diversity issues that are relevant to their role as assessors and fair decision-making.
When applying to become a registered GP trainer and Educational Supervisor. All GP Educational Supervisors must demonstrate that they have completed training in equality, diversity, and inclusion. While serving as a GP trainer, regular updates should be made, typically with support from LEP-delivered educational activities.

Differential attainment seminar

Hospital / non-primary care clinical supervisors

Standards for GP training

GP curriculum resources

Trainee portfolio resources

FishBase guidance

FishBase is the trainee and deanery management portal for the Trainee Portfolio.

Video guidance

Programme directors and ARCP members and chairs

The recorded webinars for these groups of users are available in FishBase. To access the videos, simply log in to FishBase and click one of the links on the home page (under "FishBase videos and guides").

Educational supervisors

The Clinical Supervisors Report: Guidance for Supervisors

Useful links for supervisors