New specialty revalidation guidance published

GUIDANCE advising doctors on the type of supporting information they will need for revalidation has been published.

Fourteen specialty guidance frameworks have been produced by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) in a joint project with its member colleges and faculties. Each document is tailored to advise specialists in fields including emergency medicine, anaesthetics, general practice and paediatrics.

It offers practical examples of the types of supporting information doctors will have to produce at their annual appraisal and include in their revalidation portfolio once revalidation begins at the end of the year. Their responsible officer will then use this information to decide whether the doctor is fit to practise.

In addition to annual appraisals, every five years doctors will also have to seek multisource feedback from colleagues and patients.

Doctors are required to bring six types of supporting information to their appraisal at least once in a five year revalidation cycle: evidence of continuing professional development, quality improvement activity, data on significant events, feedback from colleagues, feedback from patients, and a review of complaints and compliments.

The guidance is consistent with the General Medical Council’s own supporting information guidance and has been welcomed by the regulator, which said: "If you are a doctor in specialist practice, you should consult the guidance provided by the college, faculty or specialty association relevant to your area of work."

AoMRC chairman Professor Sir Neil Douglas said: "The Academy believes that the guidance on supporting information will be key to making the process of appraisal and revalidation more straight forward and consistent across all doctors irrespective of which medical specialty they are employed in."

The 14 specialty guidance frameworks can be downloaded here