In its first year of operation the new system of checks for doctors practising in the UK has seen nearly 25,000 doctors have their licence revalidated, says the GMC.
When it was introduced in December 2012, the new system of checks became the biggest shake up in medical regulation in more than 150 years. Every doctor registered with a licence to practise in the UK is now legally required to show the GMC that they are competent and fit to practise, usually once every five years, to be able to continue treating patients.
“These are very early days but we are pleased with the progress made in the first year. This new system of checks is a world first and over time we believe it will make a significant contribution towards making sure patients in the UK receive safe, effective care,” said Niall Dickson, the GMC’s Chief Executive and Registrar.
More than 10,000 doctors on the GP Register and 12,000 on the Specialist Register have successfully revalidated in the first 12 months.
Medical leaders – including Professor Sir Peter Rubin, Chair of the GMC and Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director for England – were among the first to be revalidated following introduction of the checks last year.
The GMC expects to revalidate around 30,000 doctors by the end of this year and is on target to check most doctors by the end of March 2016.
