Quick Answer
If you hold a GMC licence to practise, the general expectation is that you take part in an appraisal or equivalent annual review process each year.
If you hold a GMC licence to practise, don't simply assume you can skip annual appraisal because you are not in a permanent job.
The route may differ depending on your circumstances, but you should make sure you know who is responsible for your annual review and when it is due.
Why This Matters
Keeping your appraisal up to date helps keep revalidation straightforward — and, where possible, helps you avoid having to prove your competence through a separate GMC assessment.
Repeatedly late or missed appraisals can raise questions when your revalidation is reviewed, particularly if there is no clear explanation for the gaps.
Appraisal is also where important parts of your professional record are brought together and discussed — including your jobs, CPD, complaints, significant events and development needs. If appraisal is repeatedly missed, these areas may not be properly reviewed or reflected on.
Bottom line: keeping appraisal up to date helps show that you are maintaining your skills, reflecting on your practice and keeping your revalidation evidence in good order — and most doctors would understandably rather avoid an additional exam if they can.
What This Means in Practice
Exactly how your annual review is arranged depends on where and how you work.
| Your situation | Who usually arranges it? | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor in an approved training programme | Your training programme | Your annual review is usually through ARCP. Training portfolios are more prescriptive, with defined requirements around assessments, reflections, competencies and progression. |
| Permanent non-training NHS doctor | Your employing trust / organisation | Most organisations have an appraisal or revalidation team who will allocate or help you find an appraiser and usually contact you when your appraisal is due. |
| Locum, portfolio or non-permanent doctor | This depends on your connection | If an agency, trust or other organisation is your Designated Body, it may arrange your appraisal. If you do not have an organisation arranging one for you, you may need to organise an appraisal yourself. |
| International doctor with GMC registration but no substantive UK post | Often the doctor | If you do not yet have a Designated Body or employer arranging appraisal, you may need to arrange an independent/private appraisal and should also check your GMC revalidation arrangements. |
| Independent / private doctor | Depends on your Designated Body or professional arrangements | If nobody is providing an appraisal system for you, you may need to arrange an appropriate appraisal independently. |
| Not planning to practise for a period of time | Different route | You can choose to give up your GMC licence to practise while remaining registered. This changes your appraisal and revalidation requirements, so check the implications before doing so. |
What Should I Do?
If you need to organise your own appraisal
Be clear on what you need to do and when your appraisal is due.
Get your appraisal software set up early so you are not starting from scratch at the last minute.
Understand the requirements and what evidence you need to collect for each section.
Add evidence throughout the year rather than trying to complete everything just before appraisal.
Check the costs early and budget for both the appraisal and any software fees.
Keep your appraisals regular and avoid missed appraisals or unexplained gaps.
Myth Trap
“I don’t need an appraisal if I’m not working.”
Not necessarily.
If you hold a GMC licence to practise, the normal expectation is that you continue to engage with annual appraisal, even if you have worked very little or are currently between jobs. A genuine reason for missing an appraisal can sometimes be agreed, but you should not simply allow the year to pass without checking your arrangements.
There is also a practical issue: an appraisal needs enough recent professional activity and supporting information for you and your appraiser to have a meaningful discussion about your practice.
If you have not been working clinically, I would usually recommend obtaining some recent UK clinical exposure — for example a short observership or clinical attachment — before arranging an independent appraisal. This gives you something current to reflect on and helps provide context for your learning, CPD and professional development.
Important: the GMC does not specify a fixed minimum number of observership days or weeks. This is a practical appraisal consideration rather than a formal GMC rule.
Bottom line: no current job does not automatically mean no appraisal. Keep your appraisal arrangements up to date and make sure you have enough recent professional exposure for the appraisal to be meaningful.
Sources / Last Reviewed
GMC — Meeting our revalidation requirements: overarching principles Annual appraisal, reasonable missed appraisals and whole-scope requirements.
GMC — Guidance on supporting information for revalidation Whole-practice appraisal and supporting-information requirements.
GMC — Recommendations for doctors in training How ARCP fulfils the equivalent appraisal role for doctors in approved training.
GMC — Giving up and restoring your licence or registration Options for doctors who are not working, do not need a licence for their work or are working overseas.
Last reviewed: August 2026