New research supports the potential for using patient and colleague questionnaires in the revalidation process

New research, commissioned by the GMC and published today, has confirmed that patient and colleague questionnaires may offer a reliable method for assessing the professional performance of UK doctors.

New research, commissioned by the GMC and published today, has confirmed that patient and colleague questionnaires may offer a reliable method for assessing the professional performance of UK doctors. The pilot study, led by Professor John Campbell, Foundation Professor of General Practice and Primary Care at Peninsula Medical School, involved 541 doctors, who were assessed by their colleagues and patients using standardised questionnaires developed by the GMC. 

The patient questionnaire focused on gathering the views of patients on a doctor’s communication skills, ability to explain conditions and treatments and to involve the patient in the decision-making process.  The colleague questionnaire asked that colleagues give their views on a number of key issues such as a doctor’s clinical knowledge, teaching skills and prescribing.

The White Paper on the regulation of Health Professionals, published in 2007, confirmed that patient and colleague questionnaires would become a key element in the revalidation of doctors in the future. This new research confirms that patient and colleague questionnaires, developed by the GMC, have potential as a means of collecting information regarding doctors’ performance.

This is an important study as it is essential that any such tools used for assessing the professional performance of doctors, as part of the revalidation process, are adequately researched and validated. 

The GMC has now commissioned the research team, led by Professor Campbell, to undertake more in-depth testing of the questionnaires across whole organisations and in different clinical settings. The outcome of this further research piece will help underpin work on evaluating the professional practice of doctors as part of the revalidation process.

Professor Campbell said, ‘The revalidation of UK doctors is an important development in the regulation of the medical profession. Only by adopting processes thoroughly grounded in research evidence can patients, society, and the medical profession have confidence in the evaluation of a doctor’s professional performance. This study provides that initial confidence. And, in line with aspirations recently expressed in the Government’s White Paper, ‘Trust, Assurance and Safety’, these tools appear to offer doctors the possibility that they can provide real evidence in relation to their clinical practice. Our current work will provide further evidence on the utility of feedback obtained from patients and colleagues in identifying those doctors whose performance might require further scrutiny’