Correspondence with Deanery
Emails between myself and the Deanery, to date:
From: [redacted - Deanery]
Sent: 06/06/2025 09:23
To: ron@docs.scot
Dear GP Registrar
Please read attached Induction Letter.
[within letter…]
…
Register with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)
When you are added to TURAS by your local administrator you will be allocated a specific National Training Number (NTN). You can access this number from TURAS by logging in to the system: you will be sent guidance on how to do this, when your local administrator adds you to the system. This NTN is required to enable you to register with the RCGP at a discounted rate.
We recommend trainees join the RCGP as GP Registrars, the membership grade for resident doctors in GP training - this provides additional benefits and is also tax deductible. As a GP Registrar, you also receive InnovAiT - the RCGP journal specially produced for GP trainees
RCGP membership: GP registrars
Fourteen Fish eportfolio
Once you have registered with the RCGP you will then be able to gain access to the registrar e-portfolio on Fourteen Fish (FF). This is where all your workplace-based assessments are recorded throughout your training - it is useful to familiarise yourself with it before attending your e-portfolio induction session.
Appraisal Toolkit, AKT, RCA, Education, Trainee Portfolio - FourteenFish
…
From: ron@docs.scot
Sent: 08/06/2025 13:37
To: [redacted - Deanery]
Hi [redacted], many thanks for sending this across.
I do not plan on joining RCGP and will therefore not have access FourteenFish for portfolio etc. I would be interested to know what other trainees have done in this instance; I plan on writing a system that will allow me to keep track of portfolio myself.
Best wishes,
Ron.
From: [redacted - Deanery]
Sent: 09/06/2025 09:01
To: ron@docs.scot
Hi Ron
I don’t think it’s possible to not join the RCGP. This is a requirement for all GPSTs. I have copied in [redacted] who is your Assistant director who might be able to advise on this. Your programme director is [redacted].
Thanks
[redacted]
From: ron@docs.scot
Sent: 11/06/2025 08:11
To: [redacted - Deanery]
Many thanks [redacted],
I’ve tried to contact RCGP about this but have not heard back from them, so that would be helpful. Their website is a little opaque on the matter, but from what I can tell, the only part of what they offer which is mandatory is access to the eportfolio. If I can replicate the functionality of this, then the requirement would be met. It’s a bit of a racket otherwise, where each trainee is forced to give RCGP £2.5k [sic] over the course of 3 years.
Best wishes,
Ron.
From: [redacted - Deanery]
Sent: 23/06/2025 17:37
To: ron@docs.scot
Hello Ron
Your email was passed on to me. Always good to ask a question . Let me try and answer this one for you.
To become a GP in the UK you must reach the standard that allows the GMC to place you on their GMC register. This means that you must gain your MRCGP . This is attained by 3 things
- Passing the AKT exam
- Passing the SCA exam
- Passing your Work placed based assessment ( WPBA) i.e. course work
You WPBA marked through the 14 fish e-portfolio and this is the only way that the 3rd aspect of gaining MRCGP can be obtained. You will appreciate that there is a need for a fair , well calibrated system to be in place, in the same way as written or spoken exams.
You are expected to join as an associate in training ( AiT) and you will also be expected to pay for your exam sittings.
Once you have finished training and been accepted onto the GMC GP register there is no obligation for you to continue membership.
That said , I appreciate that expense in involved. I do not know your personal circumstances but in case your email was based on financial concerns , I thought I would add a link in case you might be interested . https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/financial-support
If there is something going on in the background that is making you worry about costs etc please feel free to have a confidential chat with your TPD or me.
Hope this is useful
[redacted]
From: ron@docs.scot
Sent: 30/06/2025 19:06
To: [redacted - Deanery]
Thanks [redacted] for getting back to me.
Yes, the issue with this is financial: it’s a tax on trainees, and I don’t think that the requirement for trainees to use the specified portfolio platform can be justified.
The RCGP permits trainees to take exams without being a member of the RCGP (albeit without the 10% discount that they graciously offer those who are members), so the only thing this seems to hinge on is the 14fish e-portfolio.
The WPBA can surely be marked on any platform as long as the platform meets the same requirements as 14fish.
I’ve been in touch with RCGP already but they’ve stopped responding to me; I’ll pick this up with them again.
Best wishes,
Ron.