On these pages you will find all the information about revalidation for junior doctors in training. Further information can be found on the General Medical Council (GMC) website and in the latest edition of the Gold Guide.
The General Medical Council, Registration and Licence to Practise
The General Medical Council (GMC) registers doctors to practise medicine in the UK. Its purpose is to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. The GMC website is www.gmc-uk.org/
The Law gives the GMC four main functions under the Medical Act 1983:
- keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
- fostering good medical practice
- promoting high standards of medical education and training
- dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt
The GMC is responsible for the regulation of education and training throughout a doctor’s career, from medical school through the Foundation Programme and specialty training, including general practice training programmes, to continuing professional development.
A doctor working in the UK must hold both GMC registration and a Licence to Practice.
The GMC has implemented a system of Designated Bodies and Responsible Officers (RO) to deliver revalidation. Doctors are required to connect to an appropriate Designated Body and Responsible Officer who will ensure they have access to the required appraisal and support systems. Except for Defence doctors in training who have their own Defence Responsible Officer, for the purposes of medical revalidation the designated body will be NHSE Education Wessex, and the Responsible Officer (RO) is Dr Paul Sadler, Postgraduate Dean. NHSE Education Wessex will remain as the trainee’s Designated Body until their training has concluded and/or they no longer require a National Training Number (NTN).
Doctors in training on an Out of Programme (OOP) or in their Period of Grace must remain connected to NHSE Education Wessex during this time, as they will still have an NHSE Education Wessex NTN.
The aim is to support doctors in their professional development, helping to improve quality, patient safety and public confidence in the profession.
Revalidation
Doctors in training should be aware that we are required to make revalidation recommendations at two points:
- five years after a doctor in training has been awarded full registration with a licence to practice
- when a doctor in training becomes eligible to apply for their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).
Revalidation recommendations are processed using online systems and confirms to the GMC that the Responsible Officer is satisfied that the trainee has engaged with revalidation requirements.
Doctors in training will be notified of their revalidation submission date – further information can be found on the General Medical Council (GMC) Website. This link also includes details of the recommendations your RO can make to the GMC.
Doctors in training should check that the Designated Body stated in the e-mail from the GMC is correct and if not update it on GMC connect.
Revalidation and the ARCP Process
Fulfilling the requirements of the training programme and ARCP process acts as the equivalent to the annual medical appraisal for non-training doctors. Failure to do so can be considered as ‘non-engagement’ with revalidation and ultimately may lead to a trainee losing their licence.
Therefore, as well as the ARCP assessing a trainee’s progression as part of revalidation the panel must review the Form R which enables:
- Review of any involvement in incidents and complaints and ensure sufficient reflection and learning has taken place (doctors in training are required to declare these).
- Review of the whole scope of practice (both the training work and anything outside e.g. medical cover at a sports event) and ensure sufficient evidence is recorded.
- Consideration of whether they are aware of any fitness to practise concerns which could affect revalidation.
Panels state clearly on the ARCP outcome form if there are any ongoing investigations or other known concerns which may impact on a trainee’s fitness to practise.
This information and assurance forms part of the evidence used to make a revalidation recommendation for each trainee. Should any other information be required the revalidation team contact the trainee directly.
Fitness to practise
The Responsible Officer is also accountable for the ongoing fitness to practise of all doctors connected to them. They must have systems in place to identify and address any fitness to practise concerns, including, if warranted, making referrals to the GMC.
In NHSE Education, Postgraduate Deans in their capacity as RO’s, work closely with DMEs and Medical Directors in the Local Education Providers to oversee and support doctors in training who may need extra supervision or additional training following a concern relating to their fitness to practise.
Doctors who a RO or Medical Director has serious concerns about regarding their fitness to practice can be referred to the GMC at any time using the standard Fitness to Practice channels. Further information about referrals to the GMC and when to self-refer can be found on the GMC Website.
Temporary License to Practise status
In March 2020 the GMC gave temporary emergency registration to, or restored the licence to practise of, over 30,000 doctors to enable them to work as a doctor to support the pandemic. This included those doctors who had relinquished their Licence to Practise due to taking a formal break between training programmes and were not working clinically in the UK at that time.
Doctors in formal training programmes are required to hold a permanent Licence to Practise throughout the duration of their programme. Therefore if you were issued with a temporary LTP you will need to restore your permanent license ahead of your start date.
If you are not sure whether this applies to you please check your status on the List of Registered Medical Practitioners online here https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register#searchTheRegister. If your LTP was temporarily restored this will be stated on your entry.
More details on restoring your LTP can be found here https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/changing-your-status-on-the-register/apply-for-or-restore-a-licence-to-practise
After Training
GMC video guidance on revalidation for new consultants and doctors who are not in a formal training programme.
Contact us
For any queries about revalidation please contact england.revalidation.wx@nhs.net