Professional Development

Performance Assessment

Development of performance assessment systems for the Medical Council

The Medical Council, through the work of the Professional Competence Assessment Working Group is currently developing systems that will be used to assess performance of a registered medical practitioner where concerns have been raised.

Poor professional performance (as defined in the Medical Practitioners Act 2007) means a failure by the practitioner to meet the standards of competence (whether in knowledge and skills or the application of knowledge and skills or both) that can be reasonably be expected of medical practitioners practicing medicine of the kind practiced by the practitioner.

The systems, once developed, will enable the Medical Council to refer a medical practitioner for performance assessment in order to evaluate what has led to concerns about the medical practitioner and to determine whether he/she is fit to practise without restriction.

Evaluation process

Performance Assessment will provide valuable insight into many areas that could affect a medical practitioners performance and will enable :

  • Evaluation of medical practitioners in the context of their practice
  • Evaluation of clinical capability in the context of broader performance issues
  • Evaluation of environmental issues such as personal or family concerns
  • Evaluation of organisational issues such as excessive workload

Potential tools during evaluation process

There are many tools, already in use internationally for assessing the knowledge, clinical and consultation skills of a registered medical practitioner. Potential tools that the Medical Council could use during a performance assessment are set out below :-

  • Interview with the practitioner
  • Direct Observation of Clinical Practice
  • Record Review
  • Practice Inspection
  • Case Based Assessment

In addition there are supplemental tools such as Occupational Health Assessment, feedback from colleagues and patients and Behavioural Assessment that may be appropriate, however this would be decided on a case by case basis.

Pilot Process

The Medical Council conducted a pilot project to evaluate the procedures involved in carrying out a performance assessment. The aim of the project was to develop and trial the Performance Assessment process and to use the results as the basis for implementing a performance assessment system as part of the Council's commitment to ensuring the maintenance of professional competence within the profession. The project involved:

  • recruiting and training assessors
  • recruiting and briefing volunteers
  • undertaking a number of "mock" assessments
  • preparing reports based on the assessments

Please click here for the findings and recommendations from the pilot project that were presented in a report to the Medical Council.