Physician specialty resources

The detail of a doctor’s supporting information for revalidation should demonstrate that they are meeting both the generic requirements for all doctors set by the GMC, and the specialty standards relating to their current field(s) of practice.

Each guide signposts physicians to a range of society-approved resources, and will help both doctors working within the specialty, and appraisers. Please note: this information is not exhaustive and should not be considered as a complete ‘checklist’.

The guides can be accessed at the bottom of this page, or via the specialty society websites.

Example revalidation portfolios

The RCP has produced example revalidation portfolios for geriatric medicine, nephrology and SAS (available below).

We were commissioned by the NHS Revalidation Support Team to compile example portfolios that physicians might prepare for their revalidation. Working with physicians from geriatric medicine, nephrology and an SAS doctor, participants were asked to review: how they collected their supporting information, the sources, challenges faced and the value placed on the items of supporting information regard to professional development and service improvement. Our final report, Example portfolio projects, is available below.

Key recommendations from the report include:

• clinicians should be engaged in the process of coding, collection and analysis of trust-level data
• trusts should encourage more SAS doctors to train as appraisers and be inclusive of SAS doctors when considering trust appraisal and revalidation policy
• trusts should ensure that structures are in place that maximise the use of supporting information and reflection and translate individual-level information into organisation or service-level improvements to patient care
• high-quality organisational appraisal structures, training, and processes need to be encouraged and organisations should foster a ‘culture of appraisal’.