Recertification
The second element of revalidation is recertification.
This will apply only to those doctors who are on the GMC’s specialist register or GP register. These doctors will need to demonstrate, through recertification, that they continue to meet the particular standards that apply to their specialty or area of practice.
Recertification is a new idea which was set out in the Government’s
2007 White Paper Trust, Assurance
and Safety – the Regulation
of Health Professionals in the 21st Century 
.
A great deal of work needs to be done on the detail before it can be introduced. This work can only be undertaken through close co-operation between the GMC and the medical Royal Colleges. We have established a joint working group with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to help us take this forward.
Although recertification is a distinct component of revalidation, our starting point is that revalidation should be approached as a single set of processes with two potential outcomes.
Doctors on the specialist register or GP register should not have to go through two separate processes, once to relicense and once to recertify. This will help to minimise the regulatory burdens on those involved and avoid unnecessary duplication.
Although our work with the Academy and the Royal Colleges on recertification is at an early stage, we have agreed a set of propositions that provide the starting point for our joint work. Download of propositions (pdf).