GMC announces major consultation on revalidation

17 February 2010

A major consultation on GMC plans for revalidation will be launched on 1 March and will run for three months.

Frontline doctors, patients and all those involved or affected by revalidation will be asked to take part.

The consultation will cover how revalidation will work, what doctors and employers will need to do, how patients will be involved and how and when revalidation will be introduced.

Among general issues the GMC will ask for views on the approach to revalidation, including the process by which final recommendations will be made to the GMC by a designated 'Responsible Officer', likely to be the medical director in a doctor's employing organisation. It will also consider aspects of appraisal and assessment, the specialty standards developed by the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties, the role of continuing professional development in the context of revalidation and the principles and criteria for multi-source feedback.

The document will set out how patients will provide feedback to doctors on their performance and how this will be included in the revalidation process. It will also provide a proposed timetable for implementation across the four countries of the UK.

Chair of the GMC, Professor Peter Rubin, said:

"We want to hear from doctors, employers and patients and I hope as many as possible go to the General Medical Council website and contribute to the consultation and share their experience and expertise to help shape how revalidation will work."

 Go to www.gmc-uk.org for more details.