In 1960, John Haynes OBE founded a publishing company which has published a very popular series of practical workshop manuals covering many models of car and motorcycle. Each manual contains detailed instructions accompanied by diagrams and photographs of a strip-down and rebuild of the vehicle in question and is aimed both at DIY-enthusiast owners and professional mechanics. Possession of a Haynes Manual does not in itself confer the expertise necessary to undertake the tasks it describes and many owners buy them mainly to improve their understanding of their vehicle.
Similarly, this site attempts to meet the needs both of those who simply wish to improve their understanding of revalidation and those who, for one reason or another, need to “lift the bonnet” on revalidation as it applies to ophthalmologists. This is particularly likely to be relevant to those who conduct appraisals of ophthalmologists and Responsible Officers, but it contains information which is also likely to be useful to ophthalmologists preparing for appraisal.
The site does not confer the skills necessary to conduct an appraisal of an ophthalmologist, but (recognising that appraisers may not always practise in the same specialty or sub-specialty as those they appraise) aims to help the appraiser understand the significance of the supporting information that an ophthalmologist is likely to bring to appraisal, and therefore assist in setting or reviewing appropriately challenging, but fair objectives for a Professional Development Plan (PDP).
Ophthalmology covers a wide range of clinical practice and many fields of ophthalmology are evolving rapidly in response to advances in knowledge and technology. These developments shape the training of ophthalmologists, the scope of practice of trained ophthalmologists, the constitution of clinical teams and the definition of what is regarded as “current best practice”.