Candidates

A 360° Assessment is multi-source feedback assessment, which provides insight and evidence of a candidate’s performance over time from a number of medical colleagues and co-workers. It does not relate to any one specific patient encounter, however it is a broader review of a candidates overall skills and ability.

These assessments are aimed at improving workplace performance, with 360° assessments being completed during month one (1) and month six (6) of the program.

The Mini-CEX involves the direct observation of a candidate in a clinical encounter with a real patient for 15-20 minutes, followed by immediate feedback by the assessor on their performance for a further 10 – 15 minutes.

The candidate’s performance in the Mini-CEX is rated by the assessor using an electronic standardised structured rating form. This form is available on the iPad provided to the candidate at commencement of program.

Each candidate is required to undertake twelve (12) Mini-CEX assessments – two (2) in each of the six (6) clinical areas:

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Emergency Medicine
• Mental Health
• Paediatrics
• Women’s Health

The goal of a CBD is to assess the candidate’s ability to discuss with the assessor the clinical reasoning involved in the clinical assessment, investigation, treatment, follow-up and overall clinical care of a particular patient. The CBDs also assess the candidate’s record keeping abilities.

CBDs take approximately twenty (20) minutes, followed by immediate feedback by the assessor on their performance for a further 10–15 minutes. The candidate’s performance in the CBD is rated by the assessor using an electronic standardised, structured rating form. This form is available on the iPad provided to the candidate at commencement of program.

• Candidates must undertake six (6) CBDs selected from their own patient cohort.  The CBDs must be completed over the course of the 26 week WBA period.
• Four CBDs will be conducted from the candidate’s patient cohort in the candidate’s allocated discipline;
• Two CBDs will be conducted using patients that the candidate had been directly involved in managing and who had active co-morbid conditions in other disciplines e.g. a surgical patient with a co-morbidity in mental health.

For successful completion for HNE WBA candidates must be competent in 9 of 12 Mini-CEX, 5 of 6  CBD’s and the Month Six 360 Assessment (Summative).

It is a requirement that each candidate must read the Candidate Handbook which is supplied at the commencement of the program and make sure they abide by the rules of each clinical assessment.

Candidates seeking to have the result of an assessment reviewed should email the WBA Program Office no later than three (3) working days after the result has been made available. The candidate must clearly specify the error they believe has been made in the determination of their result and how they reached this conclusion, providing evidence and specific examples if possible. The WBA Program Director may, in a timely manner, elect to seek a recommendation from the original assessor and may determine to:

1. Leave the original result unchanged;
2. Amend the result; or
3. Ask an independent assessor to reassess.

The WBA Program Director will email the candidate and assessor once a determination has been made.

Should a WBA Program candidate be deemed “Not Competent” overall, the candidate may lodge an appeal.  To lodge an appeal, the candidate must submit a written application with the WBA Program Office within 10 working days. Only appeals submitted to the WBA Program email account HNELHD-WBA@health.nsw.gov.au will be assessed, i.e. candidates are not to make appeals directly to individual assessors.)

In response to an appeal application, the WBA Program Appeals Committee, which is independent of the Program Team and the WBA Governance Committee, is convened.

The Appeals Committee operates according to its Terms of Reference and will consider the following in relation to the AMC required assessments:

• Candidate personal circumstances (e.g. illness during the assessment);
• Circumstances relating to the patient or the ward during the assessment (e.g. patient becoming unwell or a major disruption on the ward); and
• Allegations that the assessor did not administer the assessment properly.

The WBA Program Appeals Committee may determine to:

• Leave the original result unchanged;
• Amend the result
• Approve the candidate to sit a supplementary assessment.

The Appeals Committee will not consider operational requirements/employment related matters (e.g. pre-WBA 26 weeks requirement, accommodations for unplanned absence from work during the WBA etc.)

If the appeal process is exhausted at the level of HNELHD and the candidate has grounds for appeal, an appeal application can be lodged with the AMC through the WBA Guideline for Appeal process (refer to clause 5.2 Systematic Complaints).

Candidates wishing to appeal the outcome of AMC mandated assessments must apply via the Appeals Process to the Appeals Committee.

Should a WBA candidate’s circumstances require special consideration in relation to the operational requirements/employment related matters (e.g. pre-WBA working requirement, accommodations for unplanned absence from work during the WBA etc.) the candidate must make a written submission to the WBA Program Director, who will consider the request according to HNELHD’s WBA special consideration guideline and provide a response with written reasons.

If the candidate disagrees with the decision of the WBA Program Director, the candidate may seek a review of the decision by the Special Consideration Committee, which is comprised of the Executive Medical Director, Executive Director Workforce and the Operational Executive. All requests for special consideration must be emailed to the WBA Program Director via the WBA Program office email at HNELHD-WBA@health.nsw.gov.au.