RCGP updates revalidation guide

The UK's Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has published advice on how GPs working in special circumstances, ie those without a fixed, standard workplace and those in career transition, can collect 'equivalent portfolios' of evidence to support them in the assessment of their professional standards.

The guidance, published in Version 4 of the RCGP Guide to Revalidation, sets out how GPs such as those working out of hours or those working in remote rural practices and in small practices, can collect the required level of evidence in different ways.

It does not, however, offer a solution to the challenges facing others who work in special circumstances such as in the military, part-time GPs who work in a fixed environment or long-term locums, who are the subjects of other pilots.

Professor Steve Field, RCGP chairman, urged GPs to start collecting evidence now to make the revalidation process, which is currently underway, as "unbureaucratic and straightforward as possible".

"We do not want revalidation to be an onerous process and so this guide is essential reading for all GPs," Professor Field said.

Professor Mike Pringle, RCGP medical director of revalidation, commented: "When it comes to significant events you can discuss outcomes with your colleagues, with locums and with your peer group. We are also saying that if you're in a remote rural practice you can have people observing your practice, rather than doing a colleague survey, if that is better for you.

"When it comes to audits you can collate evidence by prospectively looking at case studies in order to demonstrate that you reflect on your care and that you keep up to date."

The RCGP website has Version 4 of the RCGP Guide to Revalidation and a webcast by Professor Pringle