Background

2008

• The Department of Health (England) ask the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) to explore the concept of credentialing.

2010

• PMETB and GMC merger.
• GMC launch credentialing pilot study.
• The study shows the feasibility of developing credentialing using different methodologies based around an individual's knowledge, skills and performance.
• View the final reports of the credentialing pilot study

2012

• The GMC's Council agree in principle that a regulatory framework for credentialing should be established, and further development work is taken forward by the Credentialing Working Group.
• View the final report of the Credentialing Working Group

2013

• Professor Sir David Greenaway's 2013 report, Shape of Training: Securing the future of excellent patient care, includes credentialing as part of the recommended future architecture of specialist and general practice (GP) training.

2014

• With a slightly different focus, the Government's 2014 response to Sir Bruce Keogh's report on the regulation of cosmetic interventions supports credentialing as one of the ways of improving standards and regulation in cosmetic surgery.

2015

• GMC runs framework consultation on the broad principles and processes for our credentialing model.
• 69% of 217 responses agree with our reasons for introducing credentials and just 16% disagree. Some respondents are concerned about how our framework will be implemented and how credentialing will work in practice.
• View the consultation document
• View the outcomes of the consultation

2016

• GMC Council discuss and agree that we will work with a small number of early adopters to evaluate and test the cost effectiveness and efficacy of our credentialing model during 2016-17.

2017

• GMC consults on new curriculum standards and whether they should apply to credentials
• the Shape implementation report was published in 2017 which contains recommendations around credentialing
• the GMC flexibility review – which also has recommendations about credentialing was published
• GMC began re-scoping the project to make sure credentialing aligned with these developments.

2018

• GMC developed a draft framework and from September 2018 began engagement to gain feedback on the proposals.
• The draft framework and approach to engagement was considered by Council in November.

2019

• Engagement on the draft framework completed in February 2019, and the revised framework was taken to GMC Council in April for provisional approval.
• The final framework and full engagement report for GMC-regulated credentials was presented at June council for final approval
• Five early adopters were selected
• Task and Finish Groups were established.

2020

• The early adopters progressed through the approval process via the Curriculum Oversight Group (COG) and the Curriculum Advisory Group (CAG)
• We anticipate several of the early adopters will have COG and CAG endorsement in 2021.

2021

• Policy development and engagement with our stakeholders continues around sign off and maintenance and the prioritisation of future credentials
• We aim to provide a report on the early adopter phase with an updated framework to GMC Council later this year.