Patient organisations call on government to give revalidation the go ahead
The Academy Patient/Lay group is one of nine patient organisations have called on the government to give the go ahead for a new system of regular checks for doctors in the UK, arguing that patients need to know that the doctor treating them is competent and safe to practise.
In a statement sent to Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health, all of the organisations agree that patients and the public need to be sure that the doctor who is treating them is up to date and fit to practise and they hope he will confirm in the autumn that revalidation will go ahead at the end of this year.
Covering six themes - including the expectations of patients, the role of the GMC, the future development of revalidation and the role of patients in providing feedback - the statement says: ‘We support the revalidation of doctors and the additional assurance it will provide patients about the doctors who treat them. Many patients believe this happens already and are surprised to learn that this is not yet the case across the UK.
‘Revalidation will be an important statement that a doctor is competent in their area of practice. We recognise the contribution that revalidation can make over time to the quality and safety of care that patients receive.
‘We trust that the Secretary of State for Health will make this decision with the views and interests of patients paramount by ensuring there is no further delay in revalidating doctors’ licences.’
The Academy welcomes the statement and fully supports the views expressed in it of it's Patient/Lay Group.
The Academy continues to work with the Colleges and Faculties, four nation DH's and the GMC to ensure successful implementation of revalidation.
The statement was also welcomed by the GMC which is responsible for introducing Revalidation.