TY - JOUR T1 - Written reflection in NHS appraisal: time for an alternative JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 316 LP - 317 DO - 10.3399/bjgp18X697601 VL - 68 IS - 672 AU - Pamela Curtis AU - Paul Booth AU - Sue Frankland AU - Michael Harris Y1 - 2018/07/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/68/672/316.abstract N2 - How did that go? How could I have done that better? We use reflection to help us process our feelings, and when something has gone wrong we try to understand why. The extension of this, reflection in medical practice, is a key part of our continuous learning and considered essential for professional competence.The General Medical Council (GMC) states that doctors ‘should regularly reflect on their own performance’.1 Reflection may be verbal (for example, through discussion with colleagues), internal (thinking about what we have done), or written (unstructured, for example, in a diary, or structured by use of a pro-forma). Most GPs do find reflection valuable, reporting that it is embedded into their daily routines —at work, on the way to and from work, and at home. Some feel that reflection can help with processing thoughts and feelings, describing it as ‘therapeutic’ and ‘cathartic’ in helping to process emotionally difficult situations.Reflective writing became an obligatory part of licensing and revalidation in the UK because it is thought to provide evidence of reflective thinking2 and show that doctors are continuing to learn. Reflections on learning activities are verified at a yearly appraisal, helping to provide the evidence for the 5-yearly revalidation that allows an individual to continue to work as a doctor.3 The Royal College of General Practitioners recommends that documentation of reflection on learning activities is necessary so that GPs can focus on the quality, rather than the quantity, of their appraisal supporting information,4 though it points out that documented reflection should be brief and to the point. … ER -