Identify your Designated Body

If you work the majority of your shifts through Doctors Direct and do not hold a contract with an NHS trust or training organisation, then it is likely that NHS Professionals ltd would be your designated body.

Typically, your designated body is the organisation through which you do the most of your work, e.g. your hospital, GP practice or locum agency. If you think this is the case, contact us on DoctorsRevalidation@NHSProfessionals.nhs.uk

If you need help identifying who your designated body is, the GMC website can help

Annual Appraisals

All doctors, whether they are in training or carrying out locum work, should have some form of appraisal. If you are in training, this would likely be in the form of and ARCP, if your appraisal occurred outside of training you should have an appraisal portfolio.

Arrange your annual appraisals with NHS Professionals

Once you have identified that NHS Professionals is your designated body, our Revalidation team will support in arranging your annual appraisal. All appraisals are based on the core guidance for doctors, set out in the Good Medical Practice (GMP). Appraisals focus on four main areas:

1. Knowledge, skills and performance
2. Safety and quality
3. Communication, partnership and teamwork
4. Maintaining trust

NHS Professionals preferred appraisal portfolio is the Medical Appraisal Guide (MAG) form which can be located on the NHS England website – along with troubleshooting guidance. Additionally, you are able to access further guidance and information from NHS England

The appraisal process is there to help you monitor your performance, evidence that you are up-to-date and fit to continue to practice, enable you to reflect on the supporting information you have collected (see below) and identify areas for practice development.

 

Revalidation

Collect Supporting Information

At the end of every five-year revalidation cycle, you will need to have a revalidation recommendation made by your Responsible Officer at the time to the GMC. The revalidation recommendation options available to your Responsible Officer are:

1. Recommendation to revalidate: you will be revalidated, and licence renewed for a further 5 years, subject to any additional information available to the GMC
2. Recommendation to defer: this is a neutral act where a doctor is engaging but does not have the required evidence for a recommendation to revalidate to be made – a new revalidation recommendation date will be set for 4-12 months’ time.
3. Recommendation of non-engagement: where a doctor is not engaging in the revalidation process sufficiently and will result in the GMC investigating further into the situation

To have a revalidation recommendation to revalidate made by your Responsible Officer you will need to provide:

• All the appraisals/ARCPs since your previous revalidation recommendation, or since you obtained your licence, along with reasons for any missed appraisals
• Evidence of your Multi Source Feedback (MSF) form patient and colleagues
• Contact details of all HR or Clinical Governance department where you have worked clinically since your most recent appraisal
• Details of any personal fitness to practise concerns

Based on the feedback from your appraisals as well as other information drawn from your designated body, every 5 years your responsible officer will make a recommendation to the GMC that your license should be revalidated.

The GMC will also carry out its own series of checks, once completed your license will be revalidated and you will be able to continue to practice.