Return to Practice (RtP) placements

During the Return to Practice (RtP) programme, you may be required to undertake a clinical placement in order to progress, which has a number of requirements.

Undertaking the clinical placement

If you are required to undertake the clinical placement, you are required to:

• have an approved Return to Practice (RtP) programme placement arranged through the local educational team
• have full General Medical Council (GMC) registration
• be on the GMC General Practitioners (GP) Register with a current Licence to practise
• be in good standing (no Restrictions, except for the requirement to complete the RtP programme)
• be included on the England Medical Performer list
• have completed an Occupational Health Self-Declaration, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and a Police check
• have “top up” medical indemnity (there is funding support for this while in the programme)
• have completed the e-LfH mandatory modules, including Level 3 Safeguarding for Children, Adult safeguarding and Basic Life support
• have passed the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) assessment or been approved by the Portfolio Route, where required

Non-UK citizens must have a Health and Care Worker visa if you do not have rights of residence to work and live in the UK. You will also be required to have an employing sponsoring practice post.

If you would like to transfer regions

If you would like to transfer regions during your placement, you can download the available region transfer form from this page, and follow the process detailed below.

First, you need to discuss the transfer with your current region's local educational lead. If you still wish to continue with your transfer, your current local educational lead, now your releasing local educational lead, will initiate the process.

The transfer approval is done by your releasing local educational lead, who verifies the transfer form, registration documents, assessments, medical performers list status, and educational support.

The releasing local education lead notifies their local medical team of proposed transfer and the medical team provides approval for transfer. Once approved, the releasing local educational lead agrees the transfer with receiving local educational lead and submits the approved transfer form along with supporting documents. They also notify the GP National Recruitment Office (NRO).

Once approved, the receiving local education lead accepts the transfer, notifies their local medical team, who then provides their approval for transfer.

If you require placement extensions, shortening, or early sign-off

Extension, shortening, or early sign-off for your placement is done by authorisation of your local educational lead. This is done by verifying the recommendations of the educational supervisor. Your local educational lead then notifies the local medical team of the proposed outcome, who provides approval.

Your local educational lead also informs the GP National Recruitment Office (NRO) of the outcome by submitting the financial support and funding document, Form A.

Successfully exiting the programme and gaining entry to the MPL

To successfully exit the programme and gain full entry to the MPL without conditions or restrictions, you are required to:

• have successfully completed the RtP placement
• have a satisfactory Workplace-Based Assessment (WPBA) report (includes an Multi-Source Feedback and Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire)
• submit the appropriate WPBA report and any other required evidence (they should have evidence of all your LNA’s already but important you check what they need) to the local educational lead. This information will be sent to the local NHS England medical team

It is recommended you start your portfolio preparation for an early appraisal in the placement. This will be a Medical Performers List (MPL) requirement on exit from the RtP placement, which is normally required at 3 to 6 months after successful programme completion.

You must also have received confirmation from the local NHS England team where you plan to work that you are included on their MPL without restrictions.

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) Assessment for IIP and RtP

  Successfully complete the MCQ as part of becoming an independent GP in the UK