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Appraisee FAQs
Getting Started with Your Appraisal
Once Wessex Appraisal Service Ltd. has been commissioned to arrange
your appraisal, we will ask for your GMC number and preferred email
address so we can set you up on the FourteenFish appraisal platform.
You will receive a welcome email inviting you to log in and complete your
details. An appraiser will then be allocated and will contact you around
three months before your appraisal is due.
If you already have a FourteenFish account, please tell us which email
address it is linked to to avoid creating a duplicate. If you are asked to pay, do not proceed - contact us and we will resolve it.
your appraisal, we will ask for your GMC number and preferred email
address so we can set you up on the FourteenFish appraisal platform.
You will receive a welcome email inviting you to log in and complete your
details. An appraiser will then be allocated and will contact you around
three months before your appraisal is due.
If you already have a FourteenFish account, please tell us which email
address it is linked to to avoid creating a duplicate. If you are asked to pay, do not proceed - contact us and we will resolve it.
Your annual appraisal is part of revalidation with the General Medical
Council and confirms that you remain up to date and fit to practise.
Council and confirms that you remain up to date and fit to practise.
It also provides a confidential, supportive space to reflect on your work and gather the supporting information required for revalidation.
If your appraisal is arranged through Wessex Appraisal Service Ltd.,
appraisers are allocated through a largely automated and random process.
appraisers are allocated through a largely automated and random process.
We record known conflicts of interest (e.g. hierarchical, financial, romantic
or doctor-patient relationships). You will always have the opportunity to
raise or veto a potential conflict before the allocation is confirmed.
or doctor-patient relationships). You will always have the opportunity to
raise or veto a potential conflict before the allocation is confirmed.
Around three months before your appraisal month, you and your allocated
appraiser will receive an email with contact details so you can arrange a
date. Your appraiser is expected to initiate contact, but you are welcome to
reach out first.
appraiser will receive an email with contact details so you can arrange a
date. Your appraiser is expected to initiate contact, but you are welcome to
reach out first.
If you need more than three months’ notice, please let us know.
For continuity, you will usually have the same appraiser for three years.
Occasionally this may change - for example, if an appraiser becomes unavailable due to illness, resignation or retirement.
Yes. If you have built a strong working relationship, you may request a
fourth appraisal with the same appraiser.
This can usually be accommodated if the appraiser agrees and is available,
provided you will have had at least two different appraisers within your five-year revalidation cycle.
fourth appraisal with the same appraiser.
This can usually be accommodated if the appraiser agrees and is available,
provided you will have had at least two different appraisers within your five-year revalidation cycle.
Yes. You can request a different appraiser at any time.
This may be because your schedules are incompatible or because the
working relationship hasn’t developed in a way that makes the appraisal as
valuable as it should be.
working relationship hasn’t developed in a way that makes the appraisal as
valuable as it should be.
Just let us know and we will arrange a reassignment.
Your appraisal is complete once:
- You have had the appraisal meeting
- Agreed your PDP
- Reviewed the appraisal summary
- And both you and your appraiser have signed it off
Once signed and locked, the final summary is available to your Responsible Officer/Suitable Person for revalidation purposes.
Preparing for Your Appraisal
Your appraisal should cover the six types of supporting information required
by the GMC:
revalidation cycle.
Keep your written reflection proportionate and focus on your whole scope of
work, wellbeing, achievements, challenges and future plans. Further reflection can take place during the appraisal discussion.
by the GMC:
- CPD
- Quality improvement
- Significant events
- Patient feedback (if applicable)
- Colleague feedback
- Complaints and compliments
revalidation cycle.
Keep your written reflection proportionate and focus on your whole scope of
work, wellbeing, achievements, challenges and future plans. Further reflection can take place during the appraisal discussion.
Your FourteenFish appraisal toolkit subscription is fully funded as part of our
service.
If you are having difficulty, please let us know.
You can also use the FourteenFish Appraisals Help Centre or contact their
support team directly at support@fourteenfish.zendesk.com.
service.
If you are having difficulty, please let us know.
You can also use the FourteenFish Appraisals Help Centre or contact their
support team directly at support@fourteenfish.zendesk.com.
If you are not using FourteenFish, please contact us so we can advise you.
No problem - you can still update your portfolio.
In FourteenFish, go to the Portfolio tab and select “Update something in
your appraisal.” After making your changes, click “I have finished making
changes.”
your appraisal.” After making your changes, click “I have finished making
changes.”
Your appraiser will be notified and can review the updates before your meeting.
We provide the FourteenFish appraisal toolkit as part of your appraisal
package because it is intuitive, designed by doctors for doctors, and
cost-effective.
It helps you structure your supporting information in line with revalidation
requirements.
There is also a free FourteenFish Learning Diary app, which allows you to
record learning throughout the year and automatically sync it to your portfolio.
package because it is intuitive, designed by doctors for doctors, and
cost-effective.
It helps you structure your supporting information in line with revalidation
requirements.
There is also a free FourteenFish Learning Diary app, which allows you to
record learning throughout the year and automatically sync it to your portfolio.
Revalidation & Governance
To find your revalidation date, check your GMC Online account:
- You’ll need your GMC number and password
- Log in to GMC Online
- Click on ‘My revalidation’ on the left hand side
- Your revalidation date can be found under ‘Next submission date’
If you work in the NHS, your Responsible Officer (RO) is usually linked to
your Trust or region.
If you work for another organisation, it is likely to be a Designated Body
with its own RO or Suitable Person (SP) overseeing revalidation.
If you run your own private practice, you may need to register as a
Designated Body and appoint an RO, or align with a Suitable Person.
If you are unsure who your RO/SP is - or believe you do not have one - please contact us and we will help you clarify your position.
your Trust or region.
If you work for another organisation, it is likely to be a Designated Body
with its own RO or Suitable Person (SP) overseeing revalidation.
If you run your own private practice, you may need to register as a
Designated Body and appoint an RO, or align with a Suitable Person.
If you are unsure who your RO/SP is - or believe you do not have one - please contact us and we will help you clarify your position.
At Wessex Appraisal Service Ltd., an independent doctor is someone who
commissions their appraisal directly with us, rather than through an employer or other organisation.
commissions their appraisal directly with us, rather than through an employer or other organisation.
Wessex Appraisal Service Ltd. is not itself a Designated Body.
However, Dr Susanne (Susi) Caesar, our CEO, is a trained and up-to-date
Responsible Officer and acts as Suitable Person for specific defined groups
of doctors who have no other prescribed connection (including certain
RCGP examiners, doctors working in special educational needs, and some
Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health members).
Responsible Officer and acts as Suitable Person for specific defined groups
of doctors who have no other prescribed connection (including certain
RCGP examiners, doctors working in special educational needs, and some
Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health members).
RO/SP services may be available on a case-by-case basis.
After Your Appraisal
The post-appraisal feedback form is part of our quality assurance process. It is quick to complete and gives you the opportunity to comment on your
experience and your appraiser.
Feedback is reviewed monthly. If you indicate that you would like to discuss
something, a member of the team will contact you confidentially.
Appraiser-specific feedback is anonymised and shared with the appraiser atthe end of the year for their development and appraisal.
experience and your appraiser.
Feedback is reviewed monthly. If you indicate that you would like to discuss
something, a member of the team will contact you confidentially.
Appraiser-specific feedback is anonymised and shared with the appraiser atthe end of the year for their development and appraisal.
Our automated reminders are triggered if there is no visible signed appraisal
summary attached to your record.
Occasionally, you may have completed and signed off your appraisal, but the documentation is not visible to us.
If this happens, please contact us and we will investigate and resolve the issue promptly.
summary attached to your record.
Occasionally, you may have completed and signed off your appraisal, but the documentation is not visible to us.
If this happens, please contact us and we will investigate and resolve the issue promptly.
Technical & FourteenFish Issues
If FourteenFish asks you to pay for your subscription please contact us to
resolve the issue. Your subscription is included and you do not have to pay separately.
resolve the issue. Your subscription is included and you do not have to pay separately.
Fees, Independent Doctors & Funding
Yes, we work with the Cameron Fund and the GMC to offer pro bono
appraisals to doctors in need. Please contact us if you think this may applyto you.
appraisals to doctors in need. Please contact us if you think this may applyto you.
We will normally invoice you for your appraisal at least 2 months before your appraisal is due, or immediately on signing the Service Level Agreement if your appraisal is urgent. If this invoice has not been paid at least two weeks before your appraisal date you may be required to postpone your appraisal.
Career Changes & Stopping Work
If you are still working and maintaining your GMC licence, you must continue
to engage in annual appraisal and revalidation with the General Medical
Council.
If you plan to relinquish your licence to practise, you do not need to continue with appraisal.
Many doctors find that their final appraisal is a valuable opportunity to reflecton their career and plan their transition into retirement.
to engage in annual appraisal and revalidation with the General Medical
Council.
If you plan to relinquish your licence to practise, you do not need to continue with appraisal.
Many doctors find that their final appraisal is a valuable opportunity to reflecton their career and plan their transition into retirement.
Complaints & Concerns
If something has gone wrong we want to know about it. Please contact us
directly on info@wessexappraisal.com so that we can try to understand what has gone wrong and try to put it right.
directly on info@wessexappraisal.com so that we can try to understand what has gone wrong and try to put it right.
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