BMJ  2005;330:1326-1328 (4 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7503.1326

Education and debate

GMC and the future of revalidation

A way forward

Mayur Lakhani, chairman of council

Royal College of General Practitioners, London SW7 1PU mlakhani@rcgp.org.uk

Revalidation is a summative assessment and must be seen as separate from appraisal and clinical governance

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

The General Medical Council's proposals for recertifying doctors in the United Kingdom every five years have been thrown into confusion. A recent judicial inquiry into the case of Harold Shipman, who murdered at least 215 patients, found that the method for revalidating doctors based on regular appraisal would not detect poorly performing doctors.1 The government suspended plans for revalidation and ordered an urgent review led by the chief medical officer.2 This article gives a proposal for a way forward. Although the article is from general practice, the framework described is applicable to other specialties.

Problems with current model

The GMC's proposal for revalidation requires doctors to keep a portfolio showing participation in appraisals and completion of an agreed personal development plan. They also have to provide a statement of "no concerns" from their primary care organisation and evidence of probity and health. To understand the problems with the current model, we have to be . . . [Full text of this article]

Making revalidation work

Knowledge tests

Conclusion


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Evans, R. G, Edwards, A., Evans, S., Elwyn, B., Elwyn, G. (2007). Assessing the practising physician using patient surveys: a systematic review of instruments and feedback methods. Fam Pract 24: 117-127 [Abstract] [Full text]  
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