What is Revalidation?
Revalidation is the 5 yearly process through which all doctors with GMC Licence Practice must undertake as a condition of retaining their licence to practice, and applies to all licenced doctors in the UK working in the NHS and the private sector and all branches of practice.
The revalidation process:
- supports doctors in regularly reflecting on how they can develop or improve their practice
- gives patients confidence that doctors are up to date with their practice
- promotes improved quality of care by driving improvements in clinical governance.
Revalidation Process
The revalidation process can be done online through the doctor’s online GMC account.
Clinical Academics have an annual joint clinical and academic appraisal to collate a portfolio of supporting information (collated over the year) to show they meet the necessary standards to revalidate.
Supporting information should cover:
- continuing professional development
- quality improvement activity
- significant events
- feedback from patients or those to whom you provide medical services
- colleague feedback
- compliments and complaints.
Each doctor relates to their Responsible Officer (usually the Medical Director) who assesses their portfolio and recommends to the GMC on the doctor’s fitness to practise.
The GMC makes a decision based on the evidence and recommendation provided and will also do some further checks before making a decision. For example, the GMC will check:
- the doctor is fully registered with a license to practice
- the recommendation has come from the correct responsible officer and designated body
- fitness to practise history for any current, or pending, investigations or considerations
- revalidation and registration history
- any non-payment of your annual retention fee or failure to keep your registered address up to date
- that any other information held has been kept up to date.
The GMC will formally notify the Responsible Officer and the clinician of the outcome which will either be to:
- confirm revalidation and will be given a new revalidation submission date
- defer revalidation submission date
- withdraw the licence to practice.
Should you have any queries regarding the revalidation process, please contact CUH Medical Staffing, Medical Staffing at the appropriate Trust, or the HR Staff Hub at cshrclinical@admin.cam.ac.uk.
