Requirements for the National Performers List (NPL)
What is the National Performers List (NPL) and why do I need to join it?
The NPL is a list thatall NHS GPs and GP trainees have to join to be able to see NHS patients within a general practice setting. You are only allowed to see NHS patients as a GP (or GP trainee) if you are on this list - being on the GMC register, or completing your pre-employment checks with the LEO are not enough. Your training could be interrupted and your CCT date delayed if you are not on the list when in a general practice placement.
When should I begin the process?
You need to arrange your (face to face) pre-employment appointment with the LEO as soon as you have received your official offer letter from them by contacting . Attending your pre-employment appointment is the first (but not last) step in getting onto the NPL.
It is recommended that you begin the process of getting onto the NPL as soon as you have attended your face to face pre-employment check with the Lead Employer. In particular it can take up to 6 months to complete the Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check process if police checks are required.
Once you have the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring certificate, and have registered for the mandatory automatic updating, repeating your check for your meeting with Capita is rapid.
•You need to apply for mandatory automatic updating within 19 days of receipt of the Enhanced Disclosure Certificate, using the certificate number. (see note 2 below)
How do I join the list?
After you have attended your pre-employment appointment and completed all the relevant checks, to join the NPL you need to:
•Go to the web site and download the document called “NPL1: National Performers List Application Form”
•Start filling the form in and collecting the necessary documentation (see appendix A)
•Contact your referees for permission. Check that they are eligible to act as referees, and available to give you a reference (see note 1 below)
•Keep track of when you are to receive your actual Disclosure and Barring (DBS) and Occupational Health certificates,which the LEO will have applied for on your behalf at your pre-employment appointment. Both of these are needed as part of your documentation for the NPL application process.
•Your documents should be ready, your DBS updated, and you should have prepared your NPL application by 4 weeks before the date you are due to start work in general practice.
Face to Face meeting for document checks for August 2016.
For those starting General Practice in August 2016, the necessary checks will be made by the Primary Care Support (PCS) team.
Please note that CAPITA will be taking over the administration of the NPL applications from 1st August 2016. This document will be updated once the email contacts and other information has been confirmed.
•Make an appointment for a face to face meeting with within the 4 weeks before you start your GP placementby emailing .
•This is in addition to the face to face pre-employment meeting you will have had with the LEO as part of the pre-employment checks. You may need to take time off work
•Once your appointment has been confirmed, and in preparation for the meeting, email your application form and supporting documents to the team using the same email address.
•Attend your scheduled face to face meeting at the Surbiton office (details will be given to you by the PCS team at the time of confirming your appointment) with your original documents and application form. No documents will be accepted after your face to face meeting, so if you fail to bring all original documents with you, you may be require a second face to face appointment, delaying your application to join the NPL
Additional information
•After your face to face meeting, your application is reviewed by a senior doctor at NHS England. Once they have approved your application, you are added to the performers list
•There is a 3 month (12 weeks) ‘grace’ period allowed for the process to be completed after starting work as a GP registrar. Please note however, this is purely to allow for processing of applications and not to start the process of applying.
•After 12 weeks you will not be able to work in general practice, as until you are on the performers list, you will not have indemnity. You will have to spend time ‘out of programme’ and will not be paid. This will have an effect on your training programme and possibly CCT date.
•It is very unusual for a trainee not to get on the list, but from time to time people come very close to the end of the grace period. Usually this is because the application has not been started early enough. A small delay, usually with referees or the DBS check, thus creates a crisis.
Note 1 - Referees
You must provide the names and addresses of two referees, who have consented to provide clinical references relating to two recent posts (which may include any current post) for each of which lasted at least three months (continuous period) without a significant break, or where this is not possible, a full explanation as to why that is the case and the names and addresses of two alternative referees”. For example; Where posts have been of shorter duration or you have worked as a locum with numbers of casual posts, you may include a referee from a frequently-held, recurrent post.
Beware: Referees must be on a specialist or GP register as referenced on the GMC List of Registered Practitioners and this is checked by NHS England. If they are not, your application cannot be approved.
Note 2 - Disclosure and Debarring Service
Applicants are required to subscribe to the online update service. This may be done at the time of the application using the application form reference number or within 19 days of receipt of the Enhanced Disclosure Certificate using the certificate number.
Details can be found at:
Beware: If you do not access the email and the window is missed, the process has to be started again.
Beware: Applicants who cannot provide UK residency details for the last five years must undergo a Police Home Check. This can be arranged by contacting your Home Office or Embassy. If the document you provide is not in English, you will need to provide a translation that has been issued in the UK and signed by an official translator.
Beware If for any reason a police check is required this can delay your certificate for up to 16 weeks (this is the stated delay from the Metropolitan police in May 2016)
Note 3 – Gaps between posts.
BewareAll periods out of post need to be explained, including a few days leave between posts. Chasing up reasons for short gaps is another potential cause of delay.
Appendix A – Required documents - see the performer’s list application site for more detail -
Applicants need to submit to the Area Team- A completed application form
- A recent enhanced disclosure and barring certificate
- An occupational health screening ‘fit to practise’ declaration from a Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS) accredited occupational health provider; and
- The original documents as set out below.
Current passport or photo ID
If your surname is different, please bring your marriage certificate.
Your certificate of full registration with the GMC/GDC/GOC
Your graduation certificate
A detailed curriculum vitae, including your complete and continuous work history. Any gaps need to be explained eg travel or maternity leave etc.
Language knowledge certificate and/or evidence of your ability to communicate in English –if applicable
See Section 4 of application form
Confirmation of most recent appraisal (or ARCP panel) and revalidation date (medical only, if applicable)
Work permit –if applicable
Evidence of current indemnity at an appropriate level, through membership of a defence organisation
A recent enhanced disclosure and barring certificate, or; fee, together with a disclosure and barring service application form and consent form to enable a disclosure and barring check to be made. Applicants must provide the AT with an access code number for the update service giving consent for NHS England to access their records.
Evidence of most recently completed Mandatory Training – that is BLS or ALS, Child Protection Level 3 and Adult Safeguarding. (You will be given a chance to update these during your GP training and before CCT).
Rebecca Torry
Tara Gray
May 2016