Briefing

The Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education may have been disbanded, but, mysteriously, its reports continue to appear. Doctors and dentists: the need for a process of review addresses the topical issue of revalidation for all doctors and tackles the difficult issue of defining the boundaries between appraisal, assessment, and service performance review. It argues that, while review is a necessary stage in any educational process, there can be conflict between regulatory and disciplinary measures on the one hand and ensuring that doctors receive the necessary support to sustain learning and development throughout their careers. Separation of the processes and the adoption of clear standards will help, as will further work to identify appropriate means of local implementation. SCOPME. Dcotors and dentists: the need for a process of review. London: SCOPME, 1999.