Medical Revalidation FAQs

Revalidation is the process by which all licensed doctors in the UK demonstrate to the GMC that they are up to date and fit to practise. It was introduced in stages from December 2012.

Every doctor must revalidate, typically every five years, by providing evidence of their continued fitness to practise. This is based on regular appraisals and the collection of supporting information aligned with the principles of Good Medical Practice.

The revalidation recommendation is made by the doctor's Responsible Officer (if they have a prescribed connection to a Designated Body) or by a GMC Approved Suitable Person (if they do not).

Designated Bodies are organisations defined in the Schedule to the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 as amended.

Part 1 of the Schedule lists organisations that are unconditionally Designated Bodies, including NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts, Integrated Care Boards, special health authorities, and the armed forces.

Part 2 of the Schedule lists bodies that become Designated Bodies if, and for so long as, they employ or contract with one or more medical practitioners. These are typically independent healthcare providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who provide:

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury under medical supervision
• Surgical procedures under medical supervision
• Diagnostic and screening procedures (with some exclusions)
• Medical slimming services including prescribing of medications

A Part 2 body is generally not required to nominate or appoint a Responsible Officer while it has no prescribed connection with any medical practitioner, subject to the detailed provisions of the Regulations.

All Designated Bodies must nominate or appoint a Responsible Officer, with very few exceptions. This includes organisations that are Designated Bodies under Part 2 of the Schedule — typically CQC-registered organisations — but only if and so long as the organisation has a prescribed connection with one or more doctors.

The requirement to nominate or appoint a Responsible Officer arises from the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 as amended.

Licensed doctors must keep their revalidation connection information up to date with the GMC. Where the Responsible Officer Regulations create a prescribed connection to a Designated Body, the doctor cannot choose a different connection. If no prescribed connection exists, the doctor may be able to connect to a GMC-approved Suitable Person or may be treated by the GMC as having no connection.

Prescribed connections are determined by the hierarchy in Regulation 10. The rules include, among other categories, doctors in training, performers-list connections, employment by a designated body, certain locum-agency arrangements, practising privileges at hospitals, and membership of specified faculties or bodies. Where more than one possible connection exists, the Regulations determine priority.

A Responsible Officer must be a registered medical practitioner and, at appointment, must have been fully registered throughout the previous five years. The designated body must also ensure the RO has capacity to discharge the role, and must manage any conflict of interest or appearance of bias, including by appointing a second RO where required.

Responsible Officers have a wide range of statutory duties:

• Ensure medical practitioners undergo regular appraisal
• Investigate concerns about doctors' fitness to practise
• Refer concerns to the GMC where appropriate
• Monitor compliance with any GMC terms or conditions
• Make revalidation recommendations about doctors' fitness to practise
• Maintain records of fitness to practise evaluations including appraisals, investigations and assessments

In relation to the employment of doctors, the RO must also ensure that doctors have the necessary qualifications and experience, have satisfactory references, and are properly identified. The RO has ongoing responsibilities for monitoring conduct and performance and ensuring action is taken in response to concerns.

Where an organisation feels it would be impracticable to appoint a Responsible Officer internally, MYRO provides a named Responsible Officer who can be nominated by your organisation to act for you.

Under the Regulations, the nomination is a personal appointment. In addition, the support services provided by MYRO enable the Responsible Officer, the organisation, the appraiser and the individual doctor to work together — gathering and sharing appropriate information to enable an efficient and cost-effective system of achieving revalidation for doctors.

MYRO also provides a GMC Approved Suitable Person service for individual doctors who do not have a prescribed connection to a Designated Body.

Simply contact us via our contact page, by phone on 0845 003 8191, or by email at ro@myresponsibleofficer.org.uk.

We will discuss your situation, assess your needs, and guide you through the process of establishing a Responsible Officer or Suitable Person relationship with MYRO. We aim to respond to all enquiries within two working days.