Revalidation as proposed by the GMC is due to commence following legislation in December 2012.

All trainee doctors with full registration and a licence to practice will need to revalidate, usually every five years. In addition, doctors in postgraduate training will revalidate when they receive their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).

The GMC has pledged support to a simple and streamlined approach to the implementation of revalidation that minimises the burden on doctors, designated bodies and responsible officers.

Mersey Deanery is committed to enabling its doctors in postgraduate training to revalidate by providing as much information and support as possible and will provide you with regular updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I revalidate?

Mersey Deanery is your Designated Body.

Professor David Graham, your Postgraduate Dean, is your Responsible Officer.

As a doctor in foundation or specialty training, you will revalidate in a similar way to other licensed doctors. When the time comes for you to be revalidated your Responsible Officer will make a recommendation to the GMC that you are up to date, fit to practise and should be revalidated.

What is a Responsible Officer?

A Responsible Officer is a senior clinician in a Designated Body who ensures that the doctors for whom they are the prescribed connection continue to practice safely and are properly supported and managed in maintaining their professional standards.

What is a Designated Body?

A Designated Body is the organisation that a licensed doctor has a connection with that provides them with support for revalidation.

How will the GMC know my Designated Body?

The GMC is asking every licensed doctor to confirm their designated body before revalidation begins at the end of 2012. The GMC will use your response to the 2012 National Training Survey to confirm your current designated body for you.

What information will I need to provide to be revalidated?

Licensed doctors will need to collect supporting information to show how they are meeting our professional standards in their daily practice based the GMC’s core guidance for doctors Good Medical Practice. As a doctor in training, you will be generating this information to meet the requirements of your curriculum and training programme. Your revalidation will be linked to an enhanced ARCP process.

How will the recommendation be made for revalidation?

Your Postgraduate Dean, acting as your Responsible Officer, will base their recommendation on your participation in the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) process or its equivalent the Record of In-Training Assessment (RITA).

What should I be doing now?

The first step was to confirm your designated body to the GMC by taking part in the GMC National Training Survey.

Keep an eye on the GMC website and in particular the area devoted to revalidation for doctors in training for any updates and this page. In addition Mersey Deanery will continue to provide you with regular updates and other information.

Prior to your ARCP/RITA you will need to fill in an enhanced Form R. Your employer will send information in support of your revalidation to the ARCP Panel.

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