Revalidation

Revalidation is a process by which Doctors with a UK licence to practice are required to demonstrate that they are up-to-date and fit to practice and continue to meet professional standards as set by the regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC). This requirement became a statutory requirement in December 2012. Revalidation aims to provide extra confidence to patients that Doctors are regularly checked by the GMC.

Doctors are required to participate in annual appraisals with a recommendation to the GMC of revalidation at year 5 by a Responsible Officer. A Responsible Officer is a Doctor who is responsible for the fitness to Practice of Doctors who are connected to them through a designated body (an organisation ie NHS Trust or locum agency such as PE Global Healthcare). The whole process of appraisal is commensurate with the GMC’s Good Medical Practice Framework of which there are 4 domains:

• Knowledge Skills and Performance
• Safety & Quality
• Communication, Partnership and Teamwork
• Maintaining Trust

All registered Doctors are expected to work within the four domains of Good Medical Practice and to demonstrate their fitness to practice with the submission of evidence and reflection via the appraisal process. The current form that is used for UK appraisals is the Medical Appraisal Guidance form V4.1 (MAG). The form covers the criteria for appraisal including:

• CPD (Continuing Professional Development)
• Patient and colleague feedback
• Quality Improvement (audit, case-based discussion)
• Significant events
• Complaints, compliments
• Health, probity and professional indemnity declarations