Royal College of Ophthalmologists

Revalidation & Appraisal

Seminar: Revalidation in Ophthalmology - Understand revalidation and face it with confidence
Location: The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, London
Date: Wednesday 24th November 2010
Chaired by: Mr. Richard Smith, Stoke Mandeville
Download a Registration Form and Programme. For full details of the College seminars, registration information, location and the full 2010 calendar of events please visit the Seminars 2010 page.

Appraisal and revalidation of ophthalmologists who work outside the Hospital Eye Service

Ophthalmologists who are employed outside the HES form a much more heterogeneous group which includes those in full time independent clinical practice, those working following retirement from the NHS, Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners, ophthalmologists working abroad in a humanitarian capacity, ophthalmologists working for independent sector treatment centres and ophthalmologists employed via locum agencies. There are also ophthalmologists who work entirely outside the clinical environment - for instance in full time medical management or for regulatory bodies. Ophthalmologists taking part in the pilot study will be offered a free appraisal, advice on preparing for the appraisal and feedback from the appraisal (including a review by a senior ophthalmologist who will act as a Responsible Officer) for the purpose of the pilot study. The College will be able to offer approximately 75 appraisals in total over a three month period, on a first-come-first-served basis. The aim is to ensure participants are better equipped to prepare for appraisal in future years. We also hope to be able to use the experience of this study to estimate the resources that need to be put in place for the revalidation of ophthalmologists for the future.

To be eligible to participate, you should:
  • Have trained as an ophthalmologist in the UK or abroad
  • Have a Licence to Practise issued by GMC
  • Be employed outside the NHS Hospital Eye Service in one of the groups mentioned above or in similar circumstances where you do not currently have access to NHS annual peer appraisal.

Please contact Beth Barnes, Head of Professional Standards at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists by telephone, letter or email (beth.barnes@rcophth.ac.uk) to express an interest in taking part and you will be sent further details of the project.

Specialty Framework for Revalidation - ophthalmology

Each medical Royal College and Faculty has developed specific frameworks for revalidation based on the four domains and 12 attributes defined by the GMC in the Good medical Practice Framework. This framework describes specialty specific standards ophthalmologists must demonstrate for appraisal and revalidation. They also provide examples of the types of supporting information an ophthalmologist could use to demonstrate their practice for each of the 12 attributes. An ophthalmologist may not be able to provide supporting information against each individual standard, but they must provide sufficient information from their current role to demonstrate compliance with all of the 12 attributes. An Appraisal and Revalidation Checklist is available at the end of the document. (added 1 April 2010)

GMC Revalidation Consultation 1 March - 4 June 2010 Revalidation: The way ahead includes the specialty frameworks. View the response from the Academy of the Medical Royal Colleges (updated 10 June 2010)

Academy Revalidation Project Summary of Progress (February 2009)
View Document

Revalidation of Ophthalmologists (December 2008)
View Document

Appointment of Revalidation Lead
(December 2008)
View Document

Advice for those Retired from NHS Practice (December 2008)
View Document

Advice for OMPs and those working outside the NHS (December 2008)
View Document

Appraisal for Locum Doctors in Hospital Practice - Framework & Protocols
Document available from the website of NHS Professionals
View Website


Page Updated: 2 July 2010 (BB)