Annual conversation
Resources for doctors
Resources for facilitators
The annual conversation (AC) component of your programme will be open to you starting from month 10 of each active year of your programme, and will close at the end of that year. These dates will be unique to each individual based on when they were enrolled in the programme, and on how much leave has been taken. If you are ever unsure when the AC will be open for you, log into your programme, and check the timeline shown in the Te Whanake tab (seen on the left-hand side). Hovering over the circles saying ‘goals’ or ‘conversation’ will let you know the date they can be completed.
Please be aware: this annual conversation will not be available until you have set goals for the year. Not completing your goals will not extend the time you will then have to complete your AC.
After the annual conversation is open, you will have three months to complete this component. You will first need to log into your programme, and a link ‘prepare for your annual conversation’ will be on your dashboard. This link will take you through a few questions asking you to reflect on your goals, and the year. At the end, the questions and answers will be available to be printed off and you can bring this to the conversation to refer to, if you would like.
This conversation can be done with a peer, colleague, or an employer that you trust, and can be done as the same time as their annual conversation if you both happen to have it open in your programmes at the same time. We do recommend that this remains a one-on-one activity.
Ultimately, this time is to be used for your benefit – spend it talking about any issues, points of contention or pride, and future plans or past challenges you believe would be helpful to discuss. The details of this meeting can remain private. You will need to record that is has been done, but we will not require any specific details to be shared, nor a specific time to be reached.
We would also remind members this does not have to be a formal occasion; this can be done over a meal or coffee.
The resources above should help give examples and information on what each person, the GP interviewee, and the facilitator, may want to consider, and example questions for the facilitator. You may wish to use these, or talk about other topics you believe are important, and simply let the conversation develop.
If you have further questions, please contact us at cpd@rnzcgp.org.nz