I am very pleased to introduce this year’s Annual Report for Medical Appraisal in Scotland. The last year has seen the completion of the first cycle of revalidation for all doctors in the UK across all specialties. This is clearly a significant development and represents a positive demonstration of a commitment to maintaining and enhancing medical professionalism. Participation in annual appraisal is a key element of the revalidation process. The work undertaken by NES in this area has been pivotal in reaching this stage and has received extremely positive feedback from all stakeholders involved in the delivery of appraisal and the roll out of revalidation.
Scotland has led the way in developing and providing the required educational resources and support for all those involved in the appraisal process. An objective measure of this success is provided by the very low rates for deferral of revalidation in Scotland and the very high rates of appraisals being undertaken across Scotland. The unified support for appraisal provided by NES has also been recognised as providing an exemplary benchmark for other systems across the UK.
In the last year the NES Appraisal Team have worked hard to ensure that the training and support we provide are fit for purpose. Working in collaboration with the territorial Boards, the appraisal team at NES have delivered a comprehensive programme of appraiser training, and in partnership with the Scottish Government we have extended and enhanced the IT systems that underpin the appraisal process and link with TURAS, NES’s digital interface. SOAR now supports the recognition of trainers across all medical disciplines and their trainees, and is the platform through which the revalidation of trainees is completed.
Scotland has led the way in developing and providing the required educational resources and support for all those involved in the appraisal process"
NES is committed to the aim of creating a dynamic educational environment and providing the resources necessary to support all those who work in NHS Scotland in maintaining and developing their performance. Whilst there clearly needs to be a focus on ensuring systems are robust and effective, all those involved with health care are aware of the influence “human factors” can have on the delivery of that care. Participation in appraisal allows the individual doctor a unique opportunity to reflect on their role and all the factors that can influence their performance. Appraisal when done well can create a climate that facilitates reflection and leads to a change in behaviour or allows affirmation that can maintain a high level of performance.
In the forthcoming year NES will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that we continue to offer resources that support all groups of doctors in the appraisal process and reflects our aim of ensuring that health care professionals working in Scotland have access to the highest quality of educational and developmental support.
Caroline Lamb
NES Chief Executive
NHS Education for Scotland
Westport 102
West Port
Edinburgh EH3 9DN
tel: 0131 656 3200
fax: 0131 656 3201
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This annual report has not been designed to be printed. To download the text only version of the report, please visit the Medical Appraisal Scotland website.