The general practitioner trainer exchange as an innovative approach to peer review

There are various formal peer review schemes to assess the quality of primary care practices and several special approval and re-approval programmes exist for General Practitioner (GP) trainers and primary care training practices. The Defence Postgraduate Medical Deanery (DPMD) has its own General Practice Education Committee (GPEC) approval and re-approval programme. Part of this programme is related to the New Membership of the Royal College of Practitioners (nMRCGP). There is limited published information related to GP trainer exchanges as a means of peer review and as such as preparation for GPEC in the British Forces. This paper provides a review of a GP trainer exchange involving a visit of a GP trainer from British Forces Germany (BFG) to the practices of Dhekelia and Ay Nik on Cyprus in January 2010. It concludes that a GP trainer exchange is cost neutral and may be a valuable experience for both the host and visiting GP trainer, the local GP trainers' group, the practice teams and above all, for the GP trainee.