Video: Latest revalidation model 'much less threatening', says GPC

Tom Ireland, healthcarerepublic.com, 19 March 2010, 12:00pm

GPC chairman Dr Laurence Buckman has welcomed the latest ‘more moderate' proposals for revalidation.

Responding to the GMC's consultation on revalidation, launched earlier this month, Dr Buckman said in a video interview with Healthcare Republic that the latest version was ‘much less ominous' than the profession first feared.

‘The GMC wants to make it so that most GPs walk it, and I think they will,' Dr Buckman told Healthcare Republic.

‘It is much less threatening than precursor documents,' he said, adding that the latest model does not differ greatly from the current system of appraisal.

It is estimated that around 2% of GPs will be identified for further investigation under revalidation, said Dr Buckman.

Concerns remain over how sessional GPs and locums that move location often will gather evidence for revalidation. Dr Buckman encouraged GPs to read the consultation and report any observations they have.

‘There are still a few details that are necessarily vague. We will need clarity on those,' he said.

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JOHN PIKE - 19 March 2010

Dr Buckman is right to raise the concerns over revalidation of highly peripatetic locums, but these concerns are not new - they have been around for over 18 months and have been highlighted by Professor Pringle often in the past. The fact that no solution has been found to these problems so many months down the line is because these proposals are deeply flawed and did not take adequate account of locums and other doctors working in unusual situations \(eg cruise ships) from the outset; any system of revalidation that will cause severe difficulties for an estimated 15,000 locums through no fault of their own is unacceptable. The current requirements and terms discriminate in favour of Partners and salaried doctors working in the same practice each day.

JOHN PIKE - 19 March 2010

Dr Buckman is right to raise concerns over the revalidation of highly peripatetic locum GPs, but these concerns are not new - they have been around for over 18 months and have been highlighted often in the past by Prof. Pringle. The fact that no solution has been found to these issues so far down the line is because the proposals were flawed from the outset and took no account of locums and other doctors working in unusual environments such as cruise ships. Any system of revalidation that does not take special account of the circumstances faced by the estimated 15,000 locums in the country is unacceptable. The current requirements and terms discriminate in favour of Partners and salaried doctors working in the same practice each day.

Reinald Specker - 22 March 2010

I fully aggree and support the thoughts of John. And there is another problem as well - those doctors working for OHH only. I don't mean the 'flying doctors' from the continent only but those who live here permantly. There is no chance that we can show any impact of our patients because we highly likely won't see them again after our treatment. I think the revalidation has to be adapted so that every doctor at least has the chance to pass the revalidation procedure.