FICM Lifelong Learning Platform FAQs

• All Intensivists in Training (IiTs) that have been successfully recruited onto the UK based ICM CCT training programme will have access on joining the Faculty.
• MTI doctors recruited onto the ICM MTI sceme
• Doctors undertaking the Portfolio Pathway (CESR) in Intensive Care Medicine are also eligible for LLP access once they successfully get approved for either Associate Membership or as a Member (MFICM) of the Faculty.

For those dual-training with anaesthesia, the LLP is the only platform required to record your training.

For those dual/triple-training with other specialties, in addition to the FICM LLP you will need to use the portfolio platform utilised by your partner college. 

When recording shared competencies between curricula it would be appropriate to record and map these on both portfolios. You can upload an SLE/MSF as a Personal Activity on the LLP if this has been completed on another platform. Use a title that reflects the nature of the form and select ‘other’ from the activity type drop-down menu. You can then upload a PDF copy of the assessment by adding a supporting document to the form and map the activity to the ICM curriculum.

The FICM LLP does not include a logbook function, as only a procedural log is required to meet the curriculum requirements. The Faculty does not prescribe a specific format, but IiTs are expected to maintain a contemporaneous log of key procedures relevant to Intensive Care practice. This should include (but is not limited to):

• Airway management (e.g. intubations, tracheostomies)
• Invasive lines (e.g. arterial lines, CVCs, vascaths)
• Chest drains
• Bronchoscopy
• ECHO and FUSIC scans (as part of accreditation pathways)

Including the level of supervision for each procedure is strongly encouraged, as it demonstrates progression toward independent practice. Patient identifiable information must not be recorded.

You may keep your procedural log locally, in whatever format suits you. The FICM website includes example logbook resources for reference.

To include your procedural log in your ESSR for ARCP, please upload it as a supporting document for a Personal Activity, selecting the activity type “Logbook” and linking it to the appropriate HiLLOs within the ICM curriculum.

Reflecting on learning events is vital to development and very much encouraged by the GMC. You can record reflections either as a ‘Personal Reflection’ from the main LLP dashboard, or alternatively linked to a Supervised Learning Event or Personal Activity during the final stage when creating a form. Reflections can also be mapped and linked to the HiLLOs of the ICM curriculum.

You can upload certificates, courses, or qualifications to your training record via the ‘Milestones and Certificates’ section on the main dashboard. However, please note that items added here do not automatically appear in the ESSR for your ARCP.

If you would like to ensure a certificate is reflected in your ARCP documentation and mapped to the curriculum, you can alternatively (or additionally) create a Personal Activity, link it to the relevant HiLLO(s), and upload the certificate as a supporting document. You may also include a brief reflection if appropriate.

Assessors with an FICM LLP account should be searchable via their name. For those without an account, you can use the ‘Request guest assessor’ tab and enter the assessors details and email address. Regular assessors for ICM can request an assessor account by emailing llp@ficm.ac.uk.

Occasionally, a consultant may have an LLP account linked to the anaesthetic side of LLP but not the ICM side. This will prevent you from using them as a guest assessor and trigger an error message. Where this occurs, you will need to contact the faculty to add the necessary ICM role to their account so they will be searchable on the system.

There is guidance available on assessors for SLEs. Assessors must be independent practitioners in any area of knowledge or skill they are assessing and should be familiar with the ICM curriculum and principles of assessment. In general, best practice for those in stage 2 training or above would be for ACAT, Mini-CEX or CBD assessments to be completed by a consultant. For DOPS assessments, or those in stage 1, it may be appropriate for doctors in stage 3 or other allied health professionals to complete assessments. Further guidance can be sought from your faculty tutor. 

Intensivists in Training (IiTs) in Stage 3 who wish to complete assessments in the LLP need the assessor role adding to their accounts. This can be requested by emailing llp@ficm.ac.uk.

Please note: The LLP currently does not support automated reminders for assessors to complete Supervised Learning Events (SLEs). This functionality may be introduced in future updates.

In the meantime, we recommend the following options:

• If you know your assessor’s email address, consider sending them a polite reminder directly.
• Alternatively, you can select ‘Return this form to draft’ on the SLE and then re-submit it. This action will generate a new notification to the assessor, prompting them to review and complete the form.

You can create a Multi-Source Feedback (MSF) form via the ‘Multi-source Feedback’ link on the main LLP dashboard. Once initiated, you may send feedback requests to both approved and guest assessors.

You do not need to have all assessors identified at the time of creation — the MSF form remains open, allowing you to gather feedback over a period of time. This is particularly useful during Stage 2 training or short placements, where feedback can be collected across multiple sites.

To ensure the MSF is meaningful and reflective, the Faculty recommends feedback is obtained from a minimum of 12–15 respondents representing a variety of roles within the critical care multidisciplinary team (MDT).

A Multi-Consultant Report (MCR) tool has been piloted over the past few years as a means of providing doctors in training with broader feedback and supporting Educational Supervisors in making informed summative assessments.

There are plans to roll out the MCR nationally and introduce an electronic version of the form on the FICM LLP in the near future. However, it is not currently a mandatory assessment.

For those wishing to collate MCR feedback in collaboration with their Educational Supervisor, guidance and downloadable forms are available on the FICM website.

The Educational Supervisor Structured Report (ESSR) is a vital summative assessment that plays a key role in informing ARCP decisions. The form should auto-populate with your Educational Supervisor and placement details, so please ensure that your ‘Current Placement and Profile’ section is accurate and that the dates reflect your current training post.

You must also select your Faculty Tutor to be able to submit the form. We strongly recommend creating the ESSR before the end of your placement to avoid issues with fields not auto-populating correctly.

Assessments and Personal Activities completed within the ESSR date range should automatically appear in the form. However, a common issue arises when assessments have start and end dates that exactly match the ESSR dates—they may not be pulled through. To avoid this, we recommend initially trialling your ESSR with a slightly adjusted start and end date (e.g. one day earlier or later), and checking whether the relevant evidence appears. If necessary, you can delete and recreate the ESSR with revised dates until all required evidence is captured correctly.

If you continue to experience issues, please contact the LLP support team at llp@ficm.ac.uk.

At ARCP, the panel will review your LLP portfolio to assess the evidence you have provided. Ensuring that your portfolio is complete, well-organised, and accurately mapped to the curriculum will give you the best chance of a successful outcome. The Faculty has published guidance and a checklist to support you in completing your ESSR and preparing for ARCP.

In addition, the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) has produced an LLP webinar series on ARCP preparation. While the content is based on the anaesthetics curriculum, many of the principles and practices are relevant to the FICM LLP and may be helpful in your own preparation.

The bespoke Lifelong Learning Platform (LLP) was launched by the Royal College of Anaesthetists in August 2018 as a much-enhanced upgrade on their former ePortfolio system. The LLP is maintained by an external supplier CACI and we work with them to maintain and develop the FICM ePortfolio.

For any queries or issues, you can contact the FICM LLP team via email at llp@ficm.ac.uk. For urgent matters, a dedicated LLP helpdesk is also available on 020 7092 1680.

If you have feedback or suggestions for improvement, you are welcome to email us directly or share your thoughts through your local LLP Intensivist in Training (IiT) representative. Additionally, the RCoA also have a Change Request Form where users can submit ideas for system improvements.