Medical Appraisal is a "corner stone" of medical Revalidation. Performed annually, it is designed to be a reflective interview between a doctor and a trained appraiser informed by available information about the whole range of that doctor's practice.
Appraisal will provide information that will be used by the Responsible Officer to inform their recommendation to the GMC that a doctor should have the doctor's licence to practise renewed.
For more information on aims and objectives, structure, governance and management of appraisal, please review the Medical Appraisal Guidance Scotland document.
The Scottish Medical Appraisal Scheme has been developed by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in conjunction with a number of partners as part of the national stakeholders group - Revalidation Delivery Board Scotland (RDBS).
Since April 2002 it has been a statutory requirement for all doctors in primary and secondary care to have an annual appraisal.
The Medical Appraisal Scheme in Scotland is managed at a national level by the NES Medical Appraisal team, who co-ordinates the development and monitoring of the scheme, providing support and guidance for Appraisers, Appraisees, Appraisal Leads and Local Health Board Administrative teams.
It is important to note that medical appraisal and revalidation are separate processes.
The revalidation criteria, of which annual appraisal is an important part of, are defined by the General Medical Council (GMC); but they do not define appraisal requirements. Further information on revalidation and appraisal is provided by individual Colleges and Academies. For further information please visit the GMC website or the College or Academy website that applies to you.
This page was last updated on: 21/03/2022
