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National Appraiser Conference 2024

Published: 5 August 2024

This year’s National Appraiser Conference (NAC) was held on 7th June at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells. We welcomed 80 guests including GP Appraisers, guest speakers and colleagues from the Revalidation Support Unit at Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

We were delighted to invite Laura MacKenzie, 3D Program Director and Nathan Dangerfield, GP appraiser to promote the 3D Program. Miriam Davies, Program Lead for Appraisal, RSU and Quality Management also presented an introduction to HEIW.

Our Keymote speech this year “Putting the AI into appraisal” was presented by Dr Keith Grimes, Digital Health Specialist and General Practitioner with over 25 years’ experience in primary care. Keith explained everything you wanted to know about large language models but were afraid to ask. From how they are built and trained, through to their strengths and weaknesses, how to safely use generative AI and form instructions that help you get the most out of AI. This was extremely informative and very well received.

We held four workshops throughout the day for our GP Appraisers which included:

  • Coaching through change facilitated by Julie Nallon and Dr Tracey Brady
  • Practical AI: Using Copilot to safely improve the appraisal process facilitated by Dr Keith Grimes and Dr Chris Price
  • AIMing high facilitated by Dr Stephen Cotton and Amanda Bosanquet
  • Empowering and supporting neurodivergent GPs facilitated by Dr Katie Webb and Dr Chris Mellor

“The NAC is an exciting annual event that is an important part of the continuous training of Welsh Appraisers. With such diverse topics as the value of ‘Coaching’ and the potential of ‘Artificial Intelligence’(AI), delegates invariably come away invigorated and with useful ideas on how to enhance their skills as Appraisers. At its very best, good annual Appraisal encourages doctors to consider ways of improving their performance in ways that benefit patient care. The National (NAC) and regional training events are an important part of maintaining and improving the skills of Appraisers, and consequently, the achievement of doctors on behalf of their patients” – Peter Rowlands, Appraisal Coordinator for Gwent.

We have received some great feedback from attendees and look forward to hosting our National Appraiser Conference again next year!