Where next with revalidation?: Make CME and CPD compulsory with support of audit and mentoring

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7512.352-c

BMJ 2005;331:352-353 (6 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7512.352-c

Letter

Where next with revalidation?

Make CME and CPD compulsory with support of audit and mentoring

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

EDITOR—Walsh and Benson say that changes to UK professionalregulation have lacked strategic direction, that the currentreviews offer an opportunity for fundamental reform that canregain public confidence, and that public and political faithin the professions and their regulators is lower than ever before.¹However, despite a small number of high profile (and very frequentlycited) cases, the public continues to give doctors an approvalrating of some 90% in the BMA's annual poll. Politicians, lawyers,and journalists tend to receive trust ratings in the order of20%. It is these latter groups whose voices are loudest in callingfor ever increasing regulation of doctors.

The public are wise enough to recognise that the appalling crimesof Shipman were a one off. This evil man would have sailed throughany revalidation process, and it is bogus to cite his uniquelyevil deeds as an argument to . . . [Full text of this article]

Stephen F Hayes, freelance general practitioner

Bitterne Walk In Centre, Southampton stephen.hayes1@virgin.net