03.11.12
Revalidation starts today
Revalidation has officially come into force today, with doctors to now be checked every five years to ensure that they are fit to practice.
The General Medical Council (GMC) is running the revalidation process, which will be based on an annual appraisal and information that doctors will collect about their practice, including feedback from patients, doctors, nurses and other colleagues.
The UK's 230,000 licensed doctors are now legally required to show that they are keeping up to date and have gained the approval of their patients. The UK is the first to introduce such a system across its whole healthcare structure, covering GPs, hospital doctors, locums and those working in the independent sector.
The GMC will start writing to 13,000 doctors today, telling them when they will revalidate. The rest of the UK’s licensed doctors will be written to by the end of January 2013. The GMC expects to revalidate the majority of licensed doctors by March 2016, with medical leaders expected to go first.
Professor Sir Peter Rubin, chair of the GMC, said: “This is an important day for doctors and patients. We are confident that over time revalidation will make a significant contribution to the quality of care that patients receive and should give them increased confidence that the doctors who treat them are up to date.”
Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said: “Today is a momentous day – as doctors in the UK become the first in the world to have regular assessments to ensure that their training and expertise are up to date and that they remain fit to carry out their important role of providing high quality care for patients.
“Doctors save lives every day and making sure they are up to speed with the latest treatments and technologies will help them save even more. This is why a proper system of revalidation is so important.”
Dr Tony Falconer, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “I am pleased that the process of revalidation has finally started, and like the majority of doctors, I hope that this process will improve the quality of medical care for patients and look forward to seeing the evidence of such progress.”
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