Future revalidation for physician associates and anaesthesia associates

Revalidation is the process we’ll use to make sure you remain up to date and continue to meet our standards once you’re registered with us. Keeping your knowledge and skills up to date, and reflecting on your practice, are key requirements of Good medical practice. We’re developing a model that will support you to reflect on and develop your practice and give colleagues and patients confidence that you’re keeping up to date. 

When will I have to revalidate?

We will be setting individual revalidation dates for PAs and AAs in due course. Before we can do this, we need to develop and consult on the rules for how revalidation will be delivered. We will engage with stakeholders and provide more information on our timeline as this work develops. In the meantime, if you’re a registered PA or AA you should start having annual appraisals and collecting and reflecting on supporting information required for revalidation. 

How will I revalidate?

Revalidation is a continuous process that involves ongoing engagement and reflection rather than a point in time assessment. Although we’re developing the model for revalidation, once registered you should collect and reflect on supporting information in the following six categories: 

• Continuing professional development
• Complaints and compliments
• Significant events
• Feedback from colleagues
• Feedback from patients
• Quality improvement activity.

If you are practising, you’ll need to participate in annual appraisals where you’ll discuss and reflect on the information you’ve gathered. 

Periodically we’ll receive a recommendation confirming that you’re up-to-date and continuing to meet our standards. We call this period the revalidation cycle. 

Our revalidation model will not routinely require you to sit an exam as part of the process.

Once you have registered, please read our Guidance on supporting information for revalidation as it provides more information for you and your employer about the process. 

How should my appraisal be carried out to support revalidation?

Your employer should support revalidation by ensuring you can access appraisals, which are part of local clinical governance. They are responsible for ensuring their appraisal policies, systems and training include PAs and AAs. Our handbook on Effective clinical governance to support revalidation provides information and guidance for employers about how appraisals can be delivered in line with our requirements for revalidation. 

We don’t define how the information you gather for your appraisal is recorded. You can document your appraisal details and supporting information in a form that meets your employer’s appraisal policies and requirements. 

We recommend speaking to your employer or healthcare provider for more detail about how your appraisal will be carried out.

What will you ask my employer?

Periodically we’ll ask your employer for a recommendation to confirm you are continuing to meet the standards.

We’ve updated our existing guidance for employers, Effective clinical governance for supporting revalidation, so that it will be ready to apply to you in future. The guidance supports organisations to evaluate the effectiveness of their local arrangements, including clinical governance, appraisal, managing concerns and pre-employment checks.

Can I revalidate if I’m in an educational or non-clinical role?

Yes, you can still revalidate while in an educational role. You will still need to participate in annual appraisals and collect the required supporting information. 

The categories of supporting information required for revalidation are broad and can be applied in both clinical and non-clinical roles. This includes gathering and reflecting on any complaints, significant events, CPD, colleague feedback and relevant quality improvement activities. 

Even if you don’t see patients, it is still important that you reflect on feedback from those you interact with on a professional basis. This could include students, customers or clients, suppliers or anyone who relies on your expertise in your role as a PA or AA.

Can I revalidate if I’m taking a temporary break from work?

Yes. Our model is flexible enough to ensure those taking a temporary break from work (eg sabbatical, sickness absence or parental leave) are not disadvantaged and are still able to revalidate. You’ll be given at least 12 months’ notice of your first revalidation submission date, and we will be able to receive a recommendation at any time during those 12 months.  

If you’re ready, it may be possible to revalidate before you take a break from work. Alternatively, your revalidation could be deferred for a period of time to accommodate your break or any subsequent return to work. 

If you don’t work as a PA or AA for prolonged period, you’ll need to give up your registration and re-apply when you’re ready to return to practise.