In proposals, outlined in the report Medical revalidation – principles and next steps, doctors will be required to renew their professional registration every five years, in order to provide assurance that they are practising to the standard that patients, the public and the profession expect. It will also play a part in putting quality at the heart of NHS care – a key element of the proposals outlined in Lord Darzi’s report High quality care for all.
• Effective communication, including listening, informing and explaining.
• Involving patients in treatment decisions.
• Care co-ordination and support for self-care.
• Showing respect for patients and treating them with dignity.
Speaking on the publication of the report, the CMO, Sir Liam Donaldson, said: “I’m confident that this process, agreed with doctors’ representatives will help raise standards of medical practice and improve the quality of the patient experience. The involvement of patients and public in the process will help define what counts as good healthcare and in the rare cases where doctors are falling short, provide them, where possible, with the support needed to renew their registration.
The General Medical Council will be establishing a programme to support the development of revalidation processes as well as to consider the practical issues around implementation. The GMC, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and UK Health Departments have all committed to working together with patients, the profession, and employers.
Underlining support for the proposals, president of the GMC, Sir Graeme Catto said: “The introduction of revalidation represents the biggest change to medical regulation in one hundred and fifty years. The GMC welcomes the opportunity to work with partners in healthcare organisations across the UK to develop a supportive process focused on raising standards that will deliver benefits to both patients and professionals.”
Members of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges will have a central role in setting standards for recertification and designing the methods by which doctors will be evaluated against those standards. The revalidation and recertification process will be introduced in stages from the spring following a series of pilots scheduled to begin at the start of the year.
These arrangements will be supported by the introduction of Responsible Officers, senior doctors in each healthcare organisation who will take responsibility for collating the information needed to support a recommendation on revalidation.
