FAQ's for participants
This page answers the questions asked most
frequently about ACP 360. Please contact us if you have any further queries
What can multi-source feedback tell me?
It is an opportunity to gain a perspective on
how important aspects of your work performance are perceived by
colleagues and service users. Scores can help you to identify areas
of good practice as well as areas that you might further
develop
How long does the ACP 360 process take?
You should receive the full report about 8
weeks after you start the process. If there are insufficient
returns by this time, procedure followed is outlined
in ACP
360 Targets and Responsibilities. We ask that once you
activate your account you complete the process within 1 year.
Could unfair criticism from one colleague skew my
results?
A high number of colleagues complete
assessments and their responses are aggregated. Negative
responses from one person will not greatly affect the mean scores.
Also, the ACP 360 report is just one part of the portfolio of
information that will be considered at your appraisal. Please be
aware that we do not share individual colleague responses with
participants. All data is presented in aggregate form and
individual questionnaires are not available.
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With whom should I share my report?
Firstly, you should take time yourself to
reflect on what you can learn from the report. After that, the best
setting to discuss your report is in your appraisal meeting. If you
have a mentor or coach, you may also wish to share elements of your
report with them.
What should I do if I am concerned about my
results?
Discuss any concerns with the colleague who is
conducting your appraisal or with another trusted colleague or
mentor. If you are still concerned, there is a national Clinical
Advisor for ACP 360 who is an experienced consultant and can
provide you with further confidential advice. The Clinical advisor
for ACP 360 can be contacted via the ACP 360 team (contact details
can be found at the end of this document). Remember that ACP 360 is
not an examination, there is no pass or fail, and the process is
designed to enable you to reflect on and improve your practice.
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Could the results affect my revalidation?
No. The requirement for revalidation is likely
to be participation in multi-source feedback, not the result
itself. There is no ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ in ACP 360. The
inclusion of multi-source feedback in revalidation procedures is to
encourage reflective practice, and to ensure that doctors are
engaged in a process of identifying areas for improvement. The
benchmarking information is there as a guide for you, and cannot be
used as an assessment of whether you are fit to practice.
How should I read the main report?
You should read the report in full, and
reflect on what it suggests are areas where you are strong and
areas on which you might want to work in the future. Do these
fit with your self-perception? You should not focus unduly on
one single item but on domain scores and what the report as a whole
tells you about yourself. The benchmark scores are there to
guide you. Do not become fixated on whether you are above or
below the mean. Remember that a score of 4 means that your
performance has been assessed as being moderately high (good) on
the behaviour(s) covered by that item or domain. Any score of
4 or above means that your patients and colleagues have high regard
for you.
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What about free text feedback?
This can complement the numerical feedback in
the main report by giving you further insight into your strengths
and areas for development. The experience from other multi-source
feedback tools which use free text is that participants find this
component of the assessment valuable and encouraging. We
provide colleagues who assess you with clear guidance on how to use
this section of the questionnaire constructively. The option of
including free-text comments in the assessment is only open to
participants who have a designated appraiser to receive the
results. The appraiser’s job is to share the feedback with
you in a sensitive manner. Trusts that have chosen to make this
option available to psychiatrists are strongly advised to
ensure that those giving the feedback have had the necessary
training. Please note we will not share feedback with individual
participants- we only send to a nominated appraiser so that they
can be discussed in a supportive way.
How do I use the report as part of my
appraisal?
The ACP 360 report should be included in the
portfolio of information that you discuss with your appraiser. If
you opted for your colleague assessors to also make free-text
comments about your strengths and areas for improvement, your
appraiser should have received the results of this and discuss this
with you at the appraisal meeting. The discussion with your
appraiser should consider the strengths and areas for development
in a balanced way.
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What else can I do with the results?
We recommend that you develop an action plan
to address any issues that have been identified by the ACP 360
process. This might be part of a wider personal development plan
agreed with your appraiser and/or peer group. Some issues might
also be taken into the job planning process with your clinical
manager. For example, if it is agreed during the appraisal
discussion that an unduly heavy workload is a factor affecting your
results.
We recommend that you make a diary note to
review your action plan and progress 6 months after
appraisal. The action plan can then be further reviewed at
your next appraisal meeting.
When should I next undergo ACP 360?
This should be discussed with your appraiser,
as needs may vary. As a guide, we recommend that psychiatrists
undertake ACP360 every 3 years. The GMC will probably set a
minimum frequency for participation for the purposes of relicensing
and recertification.
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