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Revalidation

The early experiences and views of responsible officers from London

Authors

  • Vijaya Nath photo

    Vijaya Nath

This paper summarises the results of a small research study designed to capture the experiences of and reflections on revalidation of responsible officers (ROs) in London. Fifty-three responsible officers took part in an online survey and twenty of these ROs took part in in-depth interviews.

The results provide a snapshot of what the implementation of revalidation has meant for the new ROs six months in. The paper also draws some conclusions on what is currently aiding successful implementation, which can be drawn on by ROs, doctors, boards and senior leaders across the country to prepare for the second year of revalidation.

Key findings

  • Twenty-two survey respondents were broadly positive about their experiences of the first few months of revalidation, five were negative and the rest reserved judgement.

  • In organisations where boards or leaders prioritise revalidation – by investing in systems, resources and individuals – the process runs smoothly and is seen as valuable.

  • Almost half the ROs in the survey had raised no performance concerns; the concerns identified by the remaining ROs included issues around skills, attitudes, probity and health.

Policy implications

  • Organisations need to invest in ways to capture patient feedback and experience if the quality of patient experience, care and outcomes are to be placed at the centre of revalidation.

  • ROs need the support of the NHS Revalidation Support Team, the General Medical Council and the human resources department in their own organisations to ensure that the revalidation process works effectively.

  • Revalidation is a significant management task – ROs need protected time to carry out the process effectively.

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