GPs should refuse to have appraisals with practice managers or non-clinical staff, the British Medical Association’s General Practice Committee (BMA GPC) has urged.
This comes after our sister title Pulse Today discovered an advert from NHS England South for Surrey and Sussex that encourages anyone who is ‘a practice manager or a GP who has found your own appraisals interesting and have contemplated taking on the role previously’ to send in their CV.
In response, the GPC said that GPs could and should refuse to have their appraisals led by non-clinicians.
GPC executive member Dr Dean Marshall told Pulse: “Practice managers, nurses, or anyone else for that matter, will simply not understand what the needs of a GP are. Appraisals should have a supportive function and there has never been a more important time for GPs to have this support.”
Licensed doctors must take part in appraisals in order to revalidate every five years, and show that they are up to date and fit to practise. During their appraisals, doctors discuss their practice and performance with their appraiser and use supporting information to demonstrate that they are continuing to meet the principles and values set out by the General Medical Council (GMC).
