Revalidation: Guidance for GPs

Revalidation: Guidance for GPs

The RCGP has approved a new Guide to Supporting Information for Appraisal and Revalidation (March 2016) that aims to reduce inconsistencies in interpretation and simplify and streamline the recommendations.

It is designed to ensure that any areas where there has been a lack of clarity are better understood. The guide confirms that:

• all time spent on learning activities associated with demonstrating the impact of learning on patient care, or other aspects of practice, can be credited as continuing professional development (CPD)

• Quality over quantity - GPs should provide a few high quality examples that demonstrate how they keep up to date, review what they do, and reflect on their feedback, across the whole of their scope of work over the five year cycle

• Only incidents that reach the GMC level of harm need to be recorded as Significant Events in the portfolio. Reflection on all such Significant Events is a GMC requirement and must be included whenever they occur

• GPs only need to do a formal GMC compliant colleague survey once in the revalidation cycle (like all doctors)

• there are many forms of quality improvement activity and they are all acceptable to demonstrate how you review the quality of what you do, and evaluate changes that you make. There is no requirement for GPs to do a formal two cycle clinical audit once in the five year cycle.

The RCGP recognises that GPs need to be supported by their College in resisting inappropriate additional bureaucracy and is working with key stakeholders such as the BMA GP Committee, GMC and Responsible Officer networks to look at reducing the regulatory burden.

The guide is available on the RCGP website – please click here to view