A collection of FAQs and resources on appraisal, revalidation and recertification for GPs.
 

Find out how BMJ Masterclasses can help you prepare for revalidation. Select a question from the list below, or scroll down to read them all.

 

 

From November 2009 all practising doctors in the UK received a licence to practise from the GMC to be either on the general practice or the specialist register.

Revalidation started on the 3rd December 2012 and the GMC expect to revalidate the majority of licensed doctors for the first time by March 2016. You will have to renew your licence every 5 years as part of the revalidation process. You will be subject to a more rigorous annual appraisal which will include more reflection, proof of learning, multi-source feedback and patient surveys.

In addition, a system of 'credits' has been introduced by the RCGP as evidence of continued learning and its impact. Under this system GPs will need to gain 50 credits each year through various forms of learning (a total of 250 credits in each 5 year revalidation period). It is recommended that GPs use an electronic toolkit for their annual appraisals and record all their education, including the hours spent, to prepare for the credit system.

 

BMJ Masterclasses give GPs and hospital doctors essential updates and practical tips on the latest evidence, important advances and issues that are relevant to their daily practice. Delegates will be sent a certificate of attendance after the course which will include the hours of education on the day.

For every hour of education you will be awarded one credit, so for 6 hours of education at a BMJ Masterclass you should be able to claim 6 credits. However, the credit system is not based purely on time spent learning but also on the outcome of that learning.

The RCGP learning credit pilot suggests that GPs can double their learning credits if they can show that it had a high impact on their patients and practice. This will be done by self-assessment and will be verified at their appraisal - 97% of GPs who have attended a BMJ Masterclass have said they will change their practice as a result of their learning.

At a BMJ Masterclass, we provide all delegates with a 'track your learning' form that will help you to keep track of the impact of every session and to collect these extra credits.

 

To help you to get out most of the day and to keep up with the impact credit system we have created a form that you can use to track and record your learning at BMJ Masterclasses.  We will email you the form a few days before the BMJ Masterclass and recommend that you print it before the event. This enables you to go through the content for the day and to reflect on your learning needs in these areas.

Before attending you may wish to test and revise your knowledge by doing some relevant BMJ Learning modules as outlined in the email we send you before the event. You can also use Best Practice to research the latest evidence, and identify gaps in your knowledge and your learning needs.
 

Our speakers will give you ideas and suggestions on how to put key learning points into practice to allow you to double your learning credits. We recommend that after attending a Masterclass you reflect on areas of change by revisiting your take home messages and action points on your notes and the BMJ Masterclasses 'track your learning' form. This could include ideas for an audit, a new resource that you have been made aware of, or ideas to improve how you deliver a service. We recommend you bring your completed 'track your learning' form to your next appraisal, elaborating on and rating the impact the different sessions of the day had on your practice.

You may also wish to join doc2doc for further discussions on subjects covered on the day and thereby enhance their impact.

 

BMJ Masterclasses for GPs
There is no formal system in the UK for accreditation of courses for GPs.  It has been proposed that for the process of revalidation GPs will record the hours and impact of their educational activities, such as the BMJ Masterclass, to gain learning credits. The certificate you will receive after a BMJ Masterclass for GPs will state the hours of education delivered. These credits can then be increased after further reflection on the impact of the day. This will be done by self-assessment and will be verified at your appraisal.

BMJ Masterclasses for Physicians
BMJ Masterclasses for Physicians are accredited by the RCP. The system requires the CPD provider, such as BMJ Masterclasses, to state how many hours have been delivered.
 

Revalidation chapter from the General Update course handbook - a concise summary provided in conjunction with the Revalidation Support Team. Updated in June 2011.
BMJ Masterclasses guide to revalidation - featuring FAQs, a CPD tracker and tips on how to get the most out of BMJ Masterclasses. Published in January 2010.

 

RCGP revalidation website, including the Guide to the Revalidation of General Practitioners

GMC revalidation website
NHS Revalidation Support Team website
Revalidation: A Statement of Intent document (joint statement published by the General Medical Council and the health departments of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in October 2010)
Revalidation of Doctors document (Fourth Report of Session 2010–11, published by the House of Commons Health Committee)
 
DISCLAIMER: BMJ Group cannot be held responsible for the content of the above websites, or for their services.