Appraisal & Revalidation

To revalidate, you’ll need to have a regular appraisal that is based on GMC core guidance for doctors, Good medical practice. The organisation that is supporting you with revalidation – your ‘designated body' – will need to provide you with one.

You’ll also need to collect supporting information for your appraisal to help you show how you’re meeting GMC professional standards in your everyday practice.

You’re responsible for taking reasonable steps to collect this supporting information. Your employer or organisation supporting you with revalidation should help you by giving you access to relevant information (such as complaints and compliments, and feedback from patients and colleagues).

Most doctors already have regular appraisals and collect information to support their professional development.

Whole practice appraisal

Your appraisal will need to cover the whole of your practice. So if you practise in more than one organisation, you will need to collect supporting information that covers your practice in each of those places.

GMC guidance for doctors

GMC guidance will help you understand what you need to do for your appraisal:

• GMC appraisal framework, which is based on Good medical practice, tells you about the professional values that you need to demonstrate you are meeting in your appraisal
• GMC supporting information guidance tells you the information you need to collect about your practice.

The medical royal colleges and faculties can also give you advice and guidance about how you can meet GMC requirements in particular specialities or in general practice.

Advice for Locum Doctors

Locum doctors will revalidate in exactly the same way as any other doctor. However, they sometimes experience challenges in finding a responsible officer or collecting supporting information.

The Briefing for Locum Doctors advises locum doctors on:

• how they can find their responsible officer
• how their appraisals should be conducted
• how they can collect appropriate supporting information
• arrangements for locum doctors working or living abroad

The prescribed connections for locum doctors supports the briefing with a guide for doctors who only work as locums in secondary care to assist them in identifying their responsible officer.

16 April, 2015