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For trainees · GP posts, all years
Consultation Observation Tool (COT)
An observed consultation with a real patient in a primary care setting, assessed against the components of an effective consultation.
When, and how many
Counts towards your combined COT and mini-CEX total, and the mix matters as much as the number.
Choosing a case that will go well
- You need a spread — face to face, telephone and remote — with at least one audio COT and at least one in person.
- Ten to fifteen minute consultations with something to work with. A repeat prescription request is not assessable.
- New problems generally show more than follow-ups.
What good looks like
- Clear structure with a genuine ending — a plan the patient understood and safety-netting they could act on.
- Space for the patient to say what they were actually worried about.
- You respond to the feedback rather than defending the consultation.
What commonly trips people up
- Seven face-to-face COTs and none by phone. The composition rule catches people out late in the year.
- Choosing the patient you find easiest.
- Recording without proper consent — sort the consent process out with the practice at the start of the post.
Work out what you still need
The Evidence Tracker turns your training year and current post into the list that is actually outstanding.
Open the Evidence Tracker