What is ACP 360?
ACP 360 is the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ 360-degree feedback system that helps psychiatrists collect the feedback they need for appraisal and revalidation. The system offers a formative assessment that enables personal development. It provides structured feedback to psychiatrists that includes two of the GMC’s core domains – working with colleagues and relating to patients. ACP 360 covers eight domains in total that psychiatrists themselves have identified as being important:
- Communication
- Availability
- Emotional intelligence
- Decision-making
- Relationships with patients
- Relationships with relatives/ carers
- Relationships with other psychiatrists
- ​Relationships with their team
What is 360-degree feedback?
360-degree feedback (sometimes known as multi-source feedback) is a model of assessment which aims to present more rounded feedback to an individual than the traditional “top-down” approach where feedback is gathered only from an individual’s line manager.
Feedback is gathered using validated and reliable questionnaires that measure an individual’s behaviour in certain areas. High quality feedback will only be achieved if the instruments have good psychometric properties.
The psychometric properties of ACP 360 have been tested and the results were published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Multi-source feedback is the best way of assessing certain aspects of good medical practice as defined by the GMC. Revalidation requires psychiatrists to collect feedback for their appraisal and ACP 360 helps facilitate this process.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope the following is helpful for those interested in joining ACP 360. We have separate FAQs on the RCPsych website for appraisers and for colleagues and patients on submitting online questionnaires. Please contact the ACP 360 team if you have any additional queries, either by email ACP360@rcpsych.ac.uk, or telephone 0208 618 4029.
How much does ACP 360 cost?
Please visit the ACP 360 webpage on the RCPsych website to see our current subscription rates.
We have separate rates for new joiners and returning members that wish to renew. There's also a reduced rate for organisations that wish to set-up an account and register consultants on their behalf.
All subscription rates offer great value to members - membership terms last for 5-years and there are no limits on the number of assessments that members can complete or the number of reports they can receive in that time.
How do I join ACP 360?
You first need to submit an online application. Once you've registered your details with us, please telephone the ACP 360 team to pay and complete your registration. Select 'Join Us' from the ACP 360 system homepage, to start an application.
Can ACP 360 be used by SAS doctors who have completed their core training in psychiatry?
Yes.
Can ACP 360 be used by trainee doctors?
At present, ACP 360 is only intended for use by consultants and SAS doctors.
How long does the ACP 360 process take?
The process usually takes between 4-8 weeks. If you reach the recommended number of returns, reports can be generated within 1 working day, once requested from the ACP 360 team.
How many feedback responses do I need to collect before I can request my report?
We recommend that you collect at least 25 patient responses, and 13 colleague responses. You will also need to complete your self-assessment.
If you work in a setting where you have low numbers of patients or colleagues and need to generate a report with fewer numbers, please contact the team for advice.
What if I am not able to collect patient feedback?
ACP 360 offers a ‘270-degree’ version of the assessment. The report will be compiled of feedback from colleagues and your self-assessment, excluding the patient feedback section.
How is free text feedback included?
Free text comments 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. Both colleagues and patients are given the option to leave free text comments in their feedback.
Could unfair criticism from one colleague skew my results?
A high number of colleagues and patients 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 questionnaire responses are not available.
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. The discussion with your appraiser should consider the strengths and areas for development in a balanced way.
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.
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.
What if I enrol and do not complete the process?
If you wish to withdraw from ACP 360 please contact us within 30 days of registration and we will offer you a full refund as long as you have not activated your account.