BMJ  2006;333:161-162 (22 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7560.161

Editorial

Regulation and revalidation of doctors

England's chief medical officer's report should resolve the uncertainty

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

Aprofound loss of public, and to a lesser extent professional, confidence has cast a dark shadow over medical regulation and the General Medical Council for the past few years. After the Shipman inquiry's fifth report,1 revalidation was suspended pending a review by the chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. The review, Good Doctors, Safer Patients,2 published last week, will be followed by consultation, but the direction is set. As expected, the review places the protection of patients as paramount, but within an appropriate regulatory framework that is practical, non-punitive, and at the international leading edge.

The intellectual case for two levels of revalidation—relicensure for all doctors to remain on the register and recertification for all on specialist and general practice registers—is compelling. Relicensure will be against national standards and implemented through appraisal, 360 degree feedback, and local processes that include lay input.

However, more than 60 000 doctors . . . [Full text of this article]

Mike Pringle, professor of general practice

Division of Primary Care, School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD
mike.pringle@nottingham.ac.uk


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Bruce, D. A (2007). Regulation of doctors. BMJ 334: 436-437 [Full text]  
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  • Keighley, B. D (2006). Regulation and revalidation of doctors: dangers and opportunities.. BMJ 333: 303-303 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Response to 'Regulation and revalidation of doctors'
Professor Sir Graeme Catto, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Donaldson: dangers and opportunities
Brian D Keighley
bmj.com, 22 Jul 2006 [Full text]
The Emperor's lack clothes
Adam J Pringle
bmj.com, 22 Jul 2006 [Full text]
locus of confidence
Adrian K Midgley
bmj.com, 23 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Motives
ben dean
bmj.com, 23 Jul 2006 [Full text]
We must protest!
David M Lewis
bmj.com, 26 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Case not proven
Martin Toal
bmj.com, 26 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Threat to the Profession
Peter Gooderham
bmj.com, 26 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Competence of doctors from mainland Europe
Shahid. S Baig
bmj.com, 26 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Is it fit for the purpose for which it was designed?
Michael G Peckitt
bmj.com, 26 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Rolling over
Michael Schachter
bmj.com, 29 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Letter to the editor
Walton of Detchant
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