| Revalidation represents a major change in the way in | | | | in the UK. |
| which UK doctors will be regulated, and should help to | | | | For both types of evaluation, the information required |
| ensure that all doctors and GPs are fit to practise, | | | | will be essentially the same. Each doctor will have to |
| remain up to date with new developments in their | | | | provide documentary evidence of the way in which |
| field and have the necessary professional skills to | | | | they practise medicine, including feedback from |
| cope with the non-medical demands of their work. | | | | patients and from their own colleagues. |
| Revalidation will require all doctors who wish to | | | | They will also have to show that they have kept |
| practise in the UK to hold a licence to practise. This is | | | | their skills and knowledge up to date by attending |
| over and above their General Medical Council (GMC) | | | | training courses throughout their professional career. |
| registration, which is already mandatory for all | | | | This will be done on a points system - over the five |
| doctors. | | | | years of the revalidation period, physicians will have |
| Every five years, they will have to undergo | | | | to accumulate 250 points. They can earn one point |
| revalidation to retain their licence to practise. | | | | for every hour spent in medical training. |
| The revalidation process itself will consist of two | | | | The new system is designed to bring more |
| elements - relicensing and recertification. | | | | accountability into the way doctors are evaluated, |
| The relicensing aspect of the review requires | | | | and to make the process more transparent. The |
| physicians to be able to demonstrate that the way in | | | | current appraisal system is widely accepted to be out |
| which they practise medicine is in accord with the | | | | of date and long overdue for reform. |
| standards set out in Good Medical Practice. | | | | Revalidation will help to ensure that doctors continue |
| Recertification, on the other hand, will involve doctors | | | | to deliver the high standards of care expected of |
| on the general practice and specialist registers | | | | them both by patients and by their peers. |
| showing clear evidence that they meet the high | | | | Doctors who fail the new appraisal system will not be |
| standards that apply in their chosen field. | | | | granted a licence to practise, which means that |
| When taken together, these two elements will form | | | | patients will be safeguarded from incompetent |
| a single, comprehensive review process that will | | | | physicians who lack the necessary skills required in |
| maintain the high standards of the medical profession | | | | the practice of modern medicine. |