Printed on: April 3rd, 2025

Please note, once printed or downloaded, articles cannot be updated. By bookmarking the article and continuing to access it online, you can be sure you are reading the most up-to-date information and that you are not in breach of copyright laws.

Approaching the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

Approaching the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

Hands up if you like assessments?

Even though we can’t see you, we know not many hands went up!

Assessments are a reality throughout our careers. Even after achieving the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), assessment continues in the form of annual appraisals.

It can be helpful to view the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) as a supportive process. We can then use it to guide our training in a meaningful way, rather than ‘get through it’ as a bothersome rush at the end.

The ARCP has been designed to evaluate trainees’ progression and readiness to advance through training, ensuring that trainees meet the standards set out by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

The commonest issue we see as trainers and programme directors is that trainees find navigating the portfolio, especially the ARCP, a bit daunting. This is particularly the case in ST1. However, structure and support can help.

So, with that in mind, we’ve written this article as a guide to help you approach the process of the ARCP.

The ARCP is designed to assess your progress against the RCGP's 13 core capabilities, ensuring that trainees are on the right track to providing safe and competent patient care post Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). It also helps identify areas where trainees may need further support. It reinforces the importance of regular engagement with the educational supervisor, who will be the main point of support and guidance to provide clarity on expectations and effective progress.

• An ARCP is held at least once every 12 calendar months.
• For those in full-time training, this usually occurs at the end of the training year, although it’s not unusual for trainees to have more than one ARCP in any given 12-month period.
• ARCPs are conducted more frequently if there is a need to deal with progression issues outside the annual review timings.
• The RCGP convenes a panel of GP trainers and programme directors, who review each portfolio to formulate a judgement about the trainee’s progress against competences.
• Based on this, they determine whether the trainee is ready to move onto the next stage of training.
• The ARCP is also the mechanism by which a final statement of trainee attainment of the competences for general practice is made; this recommends satisfactory completion of training and the CCT.

Trainees can access the ARCP outcomes themselves; these are recorded in the trainee portfolio (accessible through the ‘training map’).

Here are some tips to ease you through the process.

The WPBA requirements are integral to the ARCP.

They are complex, and we cover them in detail in our dedicated article Workplace-based assessment (WPBA) demystified.

Keeping up with these assessments and consistently uploading evidence to your portfolio is a great way to keep on top of training progression, and will make the ARCP process easier.

Your portfolio is the foundation of preparing for the ARCP. Make time to regularly review progress, perhaps during your self-directed learning time – turn it into a habit!

The portfolio should include:

• Comprehensive learning logs where you reflect on your experiences.
• A Personal Development Plan that should be continually updated to set and monitor learning needs.
• Evidence of mandatory training such as basic life support (including paediatric), use of an automated external defibrillator and safeguarding updates.

Don’t be tempted to leave it to the end!

Educational supervisor reviews offer a valuable opportunity for trainees to discuss progress, achievements and areas for improvement.

Engage with your educational supervisor early in your rotation (your educational supervisor is usually identified through the portfolio, but this does vary in some schemes and with stage of training – ask if you are unsure).

Locally, we encourage trainees to make contact at the beginning, in the middle and towards the end of each post, at a minimum. This allows shared review of the evidence within the portfolio, feedback on progress, and future priorities and objectives to be established. Trainees must often take the lead and be proactive to ensure that the educational supervisor review is relevant and timely.

Clinical supervisor reports provide additional insights into trainee progress and performance during posts within the training year. They should highlight both strengths and areas needing further development.

Target completion for several weeks before the end of the post, rather than leaving it to the end. It can then be included in the portfolio prior to the ARCP.

Urgent and unscheduled care experience is essential for CCT because it demonstrates adaptability and decision-making in different, potentially higher-pressure, environments.

Trainees often delay uploading the evidence and documentation for these sessions, which can cause a delay when it comes to the ARCP.

Every trainee needs to complete a QIP at least once in their training, ideally during their ST1 or ST2 year. They also need to have evidence of a quality improvement activity (QIA) in years where a QIP is not done.

QIPs are a fantastic way to demonstrate commitment to developing a process that will enhance patient care. Good reflection on a QIP is important because it requires a more structured completion than a QIA. It’s therefore important to decide when this will be done – ideally early on in the ST1 or ST2 year so that it can lead to beneficial change, help implement meaningful interventions and enable you to evaluate outcomes.

One of the common issues identified by ARCP panels is a QIP not being completed in a structured way.

Remember, a QIP should have a clear aim, data collection, sufficient engagement with the team and other stakeholders, and a reflection on the changes or what was learnt

To achieve CCT, you must demonstrate that the correct amount of training time has been completed.

With trainees who are working less than full time, this is usually predictable and accounted for within the portfolio.

For trainees who have had time out of training for any unscheduled reason, it is important that this is documented accurately. Trainees are advised that they should be transparent about the duration and reason for any absence. We always encourage our trainees to first discuss any necessary adjustments that may be required with the educational supervisor. Clear records, entered in a timely way, will ensure the training timeline and progress are correctly assessed, and will avoid raising concerns at the ARCP panel.

One of the best ways to approach and prepare for the ARCP panel is to comprehensively review your portfolio in a timely way.

• Ensure ALL the required evidence is complete and accurate.
• Keep it well organised by categorising the evidence under the relevant headings.
• Reflect on any feedback from your supervisors and previous ARCP, and look to demonstrate how you have acted on it.

In short, make it easy for the panel to see your evidence and learning!

And, if you are finding things difficult…

Remember that the ARCP is designed to be a supportive process that will help you successfully achieve CCT.

If you have any challenges or concerns, please contact your educational supervisor or training programme director. The RCGP also offers extensive resources, linked at the end of this article, and peer support can also be invaluable.

	Approaching the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) Stay organised and proactive with portfolio engagement. Review your progression with WBPA regularly. Use your educational supervisors for guidance and feedback.
	Useful resources: Websites (all resources are hyperlinked for ease of use in Red Whale Knowledge) RCGP - ARCP guidance RCGP - trainee portfolio guidance