360 Degree Appraisal

Many colleagues are using 360 degree information in their documentation for their annual appraisal. They frequently ask for guidance and suitable tools they might use to help with the process.

There are a number of health warnings with this process and it should be carried out in a structured way within the practice and overseen by someone with some knowledge and experience of what is involved.

Feedback should be given in a constructive way by an experienced senior member of staff usually the practice manager.

Benefits of 360 degree appraisal

  • "Peer ratings provide a practical method to assess performance in humanistic qualities and communication that are difficult to evaluate reliably with other measures".
  • It is potentially more objective and less open to bias than feedback from just one person, or a doctor's subjective view about himself or herself. It is harder to discount the views of several colleagues or patients than the views of just one or two
  • It provides some standardisation (rather than every doctor using a different method)
  • Colleagues, staff, and patients feel they have some say in how they are being treated
  • It helps to identify strengths as well as areas in need of further development

Process of 360° appraisal

The process of 360° appraisal consists of the following steps:

  • selecting appropriate groups to appraise the individual
  • setting the questionnaires
  • choosing a rating system for responses
  • setting a framework for feedback and frequency of 360° appraisal.

The last point is vitally important to achieve balance and anonymity and to avoid destructive negative comments being fed back in a harmful way.


Tools for 360° appraisal

There are a number of on-line resources some of which use computerised forms which are submitted by email and the process is carried out by the firm hosting the process for a fee of approximately £120.00:

Here are some examples of 360° forms that might be used. If you are new to this process perhaps choose a simple version. If possible arrange for the Practice Manager (or some other trusted person) to gather in the forms and type a summary of the comments in an anonymised format before it is returned to the GP.