Who is Involved?

RCPE

The College’s clinical lead for revalidation is Professor Brian Frier, Vice President (Professional Development).  The CEO, Elaine Tait, also represents the College in discussions about revalidation with other organisations.  The College has established a Revalidation Working Group, chaired by Professor Frier, to help take forward the development work required before revalidation is introduced.  The Working Group, and other College activities relating to revalidation, are supported through the Education, Training and Standards Department.  For further information on the work being taken forward by RCPE, please email.

Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK

Federation has agreed that the three Colleges will collaborate over the development of standards and revalidation processes for physicians.  The specialist framework for physicians was developed jointly and has been approved by the GMC.  The three Colleges are also working together (and with other Colleges, through the Academy) to develop tools and guidance to support Fellows and Members in preparing for revalidation.   

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

The UK Academy has established two key groups to facilitate consistent development and implementation of revalidation across specialties: a Revalidation Steering Group, comprising clinical revalidation leads and revalidation staff from each of the Colleges and Faculties; and a wider Revalidation Development Group which also includes representatives of the GMC, the BMA and NHS employers. The Academy has co-ordinated a number of short life working groups to develop principles, standards or guidance in relation to a range of issues of relevance to all specialties - eg criteria for the use of clinical audit in revalidation.  They also fund a wide range of developmental projects led by groups of two or more Colleges, many of them concerned with practical support tools.  See tools and guidance for details of some of these.

Further information about the role of the Academy in revalidation can be found on their website.

Other groups

The General Medical Council, as the regulator, will make the final decision on whether an individual doctor is revalidated but is also responsible for defining the core framework and structures for the delivery of revalidation through employers and other organizations.  The GMC recently (June 2010) consulted on its detailed proposals for the implementation of revalidation and is expected to report on the results in the autumn of 2010.  You can read the RCPE response to the consultation here.

The GMC has established the The UK Revalidation Programme Boardwhich brings together the key interest groups involved in delivering revalidation across the UK, including the Academy, the BMA, the NHS Confederation and the Departments of Health for the four UK administrations. 

Each of the four countries has its own Revalidation Delivery Board responsible for implementation in relation to local structures.  Other groups specific to particular parts of the UK include: the Scottish Academy Revalidation Group, which interacts with and provides advice to the Scottish Revalidation Delivery Board; and the Revalidation Support Team which is a Department of Health group responsible for designing, piloting and implementing appraisal in England.