The final report of the UK Medical Education and Revalidation Working Group Medical revalidation - principles and next steps was published on 23 July 2008. This document clearly lays out the principles which underpin re-licensure, recertification and revalidation of doctors. However, for the most up to date information on medical revalidation you should always visit www.gmc-uk.org/revalidation
On 16 November 2009, any doctor who wants to practise medicine in the UK will not only have to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), but will also have to hold a licence to practise. All the professional activities that are currently restricted by law to doctors who are registered with the GMC will, in future, be restricted to doctors who hold a licence. These activities include, but are not limited to, prescribing, signing death and cremation certificates, and holding certain posts in the NHS and independent sector.
All doctors who hold a licence to practise will be required to participate in revalidation. Revalidation is the process by which doctors will have to demonstrate to the GMC, normally every five years, that they are up to date and fit to practise, and are complying with the relevant professional standards.
Revalidation will have two elements: relicensing and recertification. The purpose of relicensing is to show that all doctors are practising in accordance with generic standards of practice set by the GMC and based upon the GMC's guidance Good Medical Practice. The purpose of recertification is to show that doctors on the GP or Specialist Register continue to meet the particular standards that apply to their medical specialty or area of practice. These specialty specific standards are being developed by the medical Royal Colleges and Faculties for approval by the GMC. The Colleges and Faculties will also describe the types of information doctors will need to collect to show that they are meeting the standards.
Although revalidation has two elements, doctors will not need to clear two separate hurdles in order to be revalidated; once for relicensing and once for recertification. Instead, the two strands will form a single, integrated process. The information required for both will, to a large extent, be the same. It will be information drawn from actual practice, from feedback from patients and colleagues, and from participation in CPD. This information will feed into doctors' annual appraisal. The outputs from appraisal will lead to a single recommendation to the GMC from the doctor's Responsible Officer (see below), normally every five years, about the doctor's suitability for revalidation. This single recommendation will cover both relicensing and, for doctors on the GP register or the specialist register, recertification. For most doctors this process will be quite straightforward.
On 4 June 2009, the GMC published a comprehensive set of 'Frequently Asked Questions' which can be accessed at http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/licensing/index.asp This document include a helpful glossary which explains all new or unfamiliar terms, including "Responsible Officer".
The GMC has published an article in their 'GMC Today' July/August 2009 issue, entitled 'Revalidation Special'.
Consultation on Responsible Officer Regulations
This consultation was issued on 25 August and closed on 25 October 2009. It can be accessed via the Department of Health website. To view, please click here.