Support for GMC’s revalidation plans builds momentum

Doctors and patients have expressed clear support for revalidation in the GMC’s recent consultation.

There was strong backing for many of the proposals including the move to a single, more streamlined process based on regular appraisals and on the standards set out by the GMC in Good Medical Practice.

Although overall there was strong support for the introduction of revalidation, there were some concerns about how it will work in practice and when it will be introduced. 

A full report on the consultation, summarising the responses and highlighting further changes that need to be made in the light of these will be published on 18 October 2010. This will also include a timetable for the introduction of revalidation across the UK.  

The GMC also welcomed the introduction of regulations by parliament to enable the appointment of Responsible Officers. Responsible Officers will oversee the system of revalidation locally and will be in place in Northern Ireland from 1 October 2010 and are expected be in post in the rest of the UK from January 2011. 

Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the GMC, said:

“The positive responses to our consultation have been enormously encouraging and demonstrate continuing support for revalidation. We have also listened carefully and we will review our proposals in light of the feedback. The final plans have to be simple and straightforward and will continue to involve doctors and employers to ensure revalidation works for them.

“The Government has demonstrated its clear commitment to revalidation by agreeing to press ahead with the appointment of Responsible Officers. We are now moving into the implementation phase and we are looking forward to working with them and with our other key partners to make revalidation a reality."

The GMC held a meeting at the end of July 2010 with representatives from the four health departments, the Royal Colleges, NHS Employers, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services and the BMA, to agree the priorities for the implementation phase.

A joint event will also be held with the Health Foundation and the American Board of Medical Regulators in December 2010 to explore how revalidation works in other countries.  The theme will be “Revalidation: contributing to the evidence base” and its purpose will be to share and learn from different models, approaches and evidence used for the revalidation of doctors across the world.