Appraisal and Revalidation

Revalidation is a process where all licensed doctors demonstrate to the General Medical Council (GMC) they are up-to-date and fit to practise.

Revalidation is based on a local evaluation of a doctor’s performance through annual appraisal. Doctors provide at their appraisal a core set of supporting information over each revalidation cycle. The information is assessed by a Responsible Officer who makes a revalidation recommendation to the GMC, normally every five years.

All licensed doctors need to maintain a portfolio of supporting information reflecting their practice and demonstrating how they meet the requirements described in Good Medical Practice Framework for appraisal and revalidation. By providing evidence of supporting information for learning activities, annual appraisal enables the Responsible Officer to make a recommendation to revalidate the doctor.

How the RCOphth can support you

The RCOphth endorses the Supporting Information required for Appraisal and Revalidation framework issued by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC).

This should be read in conjunction with generic revalidation guidance provided by the GMC.

Confidential revalidation support

We will respond directly to generic enquiries on revalidation. Enquiries that need specialty advice will be forwarded via email to our revalidation adviser.

All identifiable information of the enquirer will be redacted before forwarding, to protect the enquirer’s anonymity. The revalidation adviser will respond to the enquiry through the RCOphth rather than directly to the enquirer.

More information

Get in touch with RCOphth for advice and support on revalidation [email protected].

Preparing for Revalidation and Appraisal

Guidance Document: Preparing for Revalidation and Appraisal as an Ophthalmologist

This document and aims to help ophthalmologists when selecting supporting information for appraisal and revalidation and ensure that appraisal can be carried out to a standard which meets the General Medical Council’s requirements.

Core Guidance on Supporting Information for Revalidation Amendments

Each Medical Royal College and Faculty has developed specialty guidance based on this core guidance framework to ensure commonality in appraisal for revalidation regardless of a doctor's specialty.

Information from other organisations

GMC guidance on supporting information for appraisal and revalidation

This guidance sets out the GMC’s requirements for the supporting information licensed doctors must collect, reflect on and discuss at appraisal for revalidation.

GMC Coronavirus (COVID-19) – update on revalidation for doctors

As health services recover from the pandemic, the GMC understand the pressures the profession remains under. They are continuing to support doctors to prepare for revalidation. There are options available for doctors who are not ready to revalidate by their scheduled date.

Resources on Reflective Practice - Summary

The AoMRC, the COPMeD, the GMC and the Medical Schools Council have jointly produced guidance documents for Reflective Practitioners.

Resources on Reflective Practice - Guidance

The AoMRC, the COPMeD, the GMC and the Medical Schools Council have jointly produced guidance documents for Reflective Practitioners.

Supporting locums and doctors in short-term placements: A practical guide for doctors in these roles

This NHS England guidance is for locum and short-term placement doctors, who often do not have easy access to to systems or structures in place to support their CPD, appraisal, revalidation and governance. This guidance highlights ways they may be supported to provide safe provision of healthcare as a valuable part of the workforce.

Supporting organisations engaging with locums and doctors in short-term placements: A practical guide for healthcare providers, locum agencies and revalidation management services

This NHS England guidance is for any individual or organisation engaging with locum and short-term placement doctors, who often do not have easy access to to systems or structures in place to support their CPD, appraisal, revalidation and governance. This guidance highlights ways they may be supported to provide safe provision of healthcare as a valuable part of the workforce.