These are regular developmental meetings (TDM) offered to all trainers. These meetings are to provide trainers with time and space to reflect upon their teaching experiences and to think about further development. The meeting may be done by one or two of the Training Programme Directors (TPDs) in the directorate.

Since the introduction of trainer appraisal the timing and objectives of the meetings have been aligned with the reappointment timetable, whilst retaining a supportive element.
Routine meetings will be arranged in the year prior to reappointment and take the place of peer appraisal for that year. There will be additional meetings to trainers requiring extra support and new trainers after their first year in post.

The meetings are held on a Wednesday at Northumbria University (Coach Lane  Campus, Benton) and last an hour to an hour and a half.

Two weeks prior to the meeting we ask the trainer to complete and return relevant parts of the trainer appraisal document which helps identify where developmental needs may be, this may act as a starting point to the discussion.  Your TDM may be postponed if this document is not returned in time.

We also read all recent Bristol surveys, feedback on ES reports and previous peer appraisals and identify any significant features that we need to discuss.

The meeting is confidential, however if any information were to come to light which would give us cause for concern about the teaching in a practice we would need to follow it up, but would inform the trainer of our concerns and our proposed course of action.

We generate a report of the meeting which should be kept as evidence for future reappointment and for your annual GP appraisal.