A steering group set up by the UK's General Medical Council (GMC) has concluded that an effective system of revalidation can be set up and has recommended that the system should be linked with registration. The group said that using the council's existing performance procedures would be the best way to review a doctor's registration in cases where there is evidence of poor performance.
The group has also recommended that the council should consider extending revalidation to all doctors. More detailed proposals are now being prepared to present to the council in May-after consultation with organisations representing the public, the profession, the government, and healthcare managers-with the aim of achieving a model for revalidation within two years. All of the proposals will be considered by an internal meeting of the council on 10 February, which will include a short public debate and a vote.
The GMC set up the group last year after it had agreed unanimously that specialists and GPs must be able to show that they are keeping up to date and remain fit to practise (21 November 1998, p 1406). The future of professional self regulation was called into question after the Bristol case, in which three doctors were found guilty of professional misconduct (27 June 1998, p 1924). The GMC's president, Sir Donald Irvine, suggested that revalidation was one way of assuring the public that senior doctors are continuing to perform effectively.
In its report the steering group, which included the chairmen of the GMC's main committees and lay members, said that the vast majority of doctors maintain a good standard of professional practice. For them, “revalidation should be an unobtrusive celebration of their commitment and achievement…an open statement that they are worthy of the public's trust.” The group believes that revalidation will give patients better protection from doctors who are performing below standard by making sure that concerns about doctors are recognised early.
The group said that revalidation should start locally and reflect performance at work; it thought that examinations would not be appropriate.