What it is
- Case-based discussion (CbD): any post. You bring a case you managed and the assessor explores your reasoning.
- Other CAT types (GP posts): for example a review of referrals, of results you handled, random case analysis, a duty or triage session, an online consultation review, a prescribing review, or a leadership discussion. From August 2026 the full range is open to ST1 and ST2 registrars in GP posts as well as ST3.
- Hospital posts: CbD only.
The numbers by year
| Requirement | ST1 | ST2 | ST3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care Assessment Tool (CAT), including Case-based Discussion (CbD) check current RCGP guidance | 4 per year 2 per review | 4 per year 2 per review | 5 per year |
Full time, per training year unless stated. Less than full time: per-year totals stay the same and each 6-month review needs a pro rata share; 6-monthly ESRs and 12-monthly certificates are not pro rata. Check with your deanery and educational supervisor.
Notes on these numbers
- Care Assessment Tool (CAT), including Case-based Discussion (CbD), LTFT: Pro rata per review period.
- Care Assessment Tool (CAT), including Case-based Discussion (CbD), confidence: high (totals); medium (2 per review in ST1/ST2). Our sources were partly secondary for this item: check current RCGP guidance.
How to do it well
- Bring a case that stretched you, not one that went smoothly.
- Prepare one page: what happened, your differential and why, the guidance you used, what you would do differently, the capabilities you think it shows.
- Use the wider CAT types to reach capabilities CbDs miss: a referrals review shows organisation and decision-making; a duty-session CAT shows prioritisation and workload management.
- Reflect on the feedback in a log entry and carry an action to your PDP.
- Use more than one assessor.
Common ARCP pitfalls
- Only CbDs in ST3 when wider types were available.
- Cases chosen because they were easy.
- No reflection afterwards.
- Two CATs squeezed into the final week of the review period.