Doctors
Every doctor who is licenced to practice in the UK must revalidate approximately every 5 years (known as a revalidation cycle). This is a process overseen by the General Medical Council (GMC). Failure to engage in revalidation may result in the GMC withdrawing a doctor’s licence to practice. A doctor will either revalidate via their designated body, a suitable person or directly with the GMC.
Physician Associates (PA) and Anaesthesia Associates (AA): The GMC will also be responsible for licencing Physician Associates (PA) and Anaesthesia Associates (AA). Revalidation for PAs and AAs is currently in the early stages of development and it is expected that a two-year regulation transition period will begin later in 2024.
What is Revalidation?
In order to show that they are fit to practice, doctors (and soon PAs and AAs) need to demonstrate through revalidation that they are fit to practice.
In order to be recommended for revalidation a doctor needs to provide a portfolio of evidence to their responsible officer for them to make a recommendation to the GMC. The GMC will then decide whether to revalidate the doctor. The portfolio will normally contain annual, whole of scope appraisals from the current revalidation cycle – generally this would be 5 appraisals. They will also need to provide evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) – this is usually but not exclusively evidenced in the appraisals. Once in each cycle, formal Multi-Source feedback (from patients and colleagues) should be undertaken and a report produced and reflected upon by the doctor. In certain circumstances it may not be possible for a doctor to provide one or both due to the nature of their role. In these circumstances the responsible officer may grant an exception at their discretion.
How we help
Our experienced and knowledgeable revalidation administrator is available to support your connected doctors throughout the revalidation process to ensure a timely recommendation is submitted by their responsible officer.
We manage the co-ordination and contacting of your connected doctors, meaning you do not need to.
We start contacting your doctors 12 months before revalidation to provide support and guidance aiming to ensure that they have the required information so a recommendation can be submitted by their responsible officer. Multi-Source feedback is often an area that can be left to the last minute and is can be particularly challenging for locum doctors, so we send out early reminders to your connected doctors.
