BMA policies

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2009
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting believes that with regard to revalidation:
(i) there must be rights of appeal to an independent scrutineer;
(ii) responsible officers should be independent of employers to ensure that potential bias and conflict of interest issues are minimised;
(iii) clear rules must be drawn up to deal with potential conflicts of interest;
(iv) in order to achieve true independence, GMC affiliates should be independently appointed against publicly agreed criteria.
Keyword(s): Employment, Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2009
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting supports a fair licensing and revalidation scheme which:
(i) ensures annual appraisal is central to revalidation, acting as a forum to promote the skills and attributes of the doctor;
(ii) is not overly onerous on doctors but is sufficient to provide confidence that each doctor is fit to practise;
(iii) must take account of the different working lives of doctors;
(iv) has both direct and indirect costs funded by government;
(v) will not require any group to undergo a more rigorous process than another,
(vi) insists that adequate protected time is available for preparation and is fully resourced
and calls upon the BMA and the Royal Colleges and Faculties to work together to help ensure that the appraisal and revalidation process is fit for purpose for all doctors.
(Scottish Conference of LMCs has been asked to propose this motion)
Keyword(s): Employment, Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference insists that those providing teleradiology services for patients, in the UK, must meet the recertification and revalidation requirements which apply to equivalent medical practitioners working in the UK.
Keyword(s): NHS information technology, Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference welcomes the recognition of the added value that doctors can bring to management of the NHS and calls for the establishment of a Faculty of Medical Management in order to:
(i) support medical managers in developing their role
(ii) allow for recertification as a medical manager as part of the revalidation process comparable to that of their clinical colleagues.
Keyword(s): Clinical directors, External organisations, Medical directors, Performance, Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference recognises the burden revalidation will place on medical managers in order to fulfil the duties expected of them and encourages the Department of Health to ensure the requisite support and infrastructure are in place and fit for purpose prior to medical revalidation being delivered.
Keyword(s): Clinical directors, Medical directors, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference believes that the proposed new appraisal and revalidation systems are of crucial importance and must be agreed with the BMA in order to command the confidence of the profession and fulfil their intended purposes.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, BMA, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference insists that revalidation:
(i) must not be introduced until the processes have been worked out for all groups of doctors
(ii) must not be brought in first for doctors in those specialties, which are said to be 'ready'
(iii) must be introduced in a randomised fashion so that risk is equitably distributed.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference welcomes the professional lead taken in developing a system of revalidation but:
(i) insistes that proposals do not detract from patient care by reducing the time available for patient care
(ii) insists that proposals are realistic, relevant and able to be achieved in a reasonable time frame
(iii) demands that any programme be fully funded and resourced by central government with proper funding for appraisers and responsible officers, and appropriate funding for remediation
(iv) insists that adequate protected time is available for preparation with any costs borne by GPs and employing practice being reimbursed in full
(v) insists that the process does not result in a disproportionate increase in GMC fees.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference calls for revalidation to be properly matched to appraisal and to be equitable for all GPs but:
(i) insists that this reflects the needs and working patterns of doctors and does not disadvantage sessional GPs
(ii) believes that the RCGP proposals for revalidation discriminate against a significant number of sessional GPs
(iii) insists that GPC ensures that the process of revalidation is not disproportionately difficult for sessional GPs
(iv) recognises that solidly funded support mechanisms need to be in place for the successful revalidation of sessional GPs.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, General practitioners, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference in response to the proposals for enhanced appraisal and revalidation believes:
(i) there should be a quality assurance process for appraisees and appraisers with individual feedback
(ii) that 360 degree appraisal must not become part of revalidation until a validation method is agreed with the GPC
(iii) the RCGP plan for 250 learning credits in five years will be too complex and time consuming
(iv) the proposed RCGP system of learning credits will place an unfair burden on the appraiser to judge whether the number of credits claimed is appropriate
(v) the proposed RCGP system learning credits should be replaced with a more reasonable system.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation, Royal College of General Practitioners

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference asserts that the cost of revalidation must be reasonable and the same for all GPs whether or not members of the RCGP.
Keyword(s): Revalidation, Royal College of General Practitioners

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference congratulates the Welsh Deanery for:
(i) the appraisal system in Wales
(ii) its efforts to develop a pilot for revalidation
(iii) its aim to ensure that GPs and LHBs are prepared for the introduction of relicencing and recertification for doctors in Wales.
Keyword(s): Cymru Wales, Revalidation, Undergraduate deaneries

Policy group: General practitioners, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That conference, although recommending that doctors register with an independent GP:
(i) does not believe that GPs who choose to register with their own practice place their patients at risk
(ii) believes that GPs have the same rights regarding their choice of personal doctor as all other patients
(iii) demands that the requirement for independent registration be removed from the revalidation proposals.
Keyword(s): Doctor self-treatment, Revalidation

Policy group: Staff and associate specialists, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference believes revalidation should not represent additional work nor additional financial burden to doctors.
Keyword(s): Performance, Revalidation

Policy group: Staff and associate specialists, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference believes that:
(i) Responsible Officers should be independent of employers to ensure that potential bias and conflict of interest issues are minimised
(ii) clear rules must be drawn up to deal with potential conflicts
(iii) there must be rights of appeal to an independent scrutineer
(iv) the BMA should secure an agreement with the GMC and Royal Colleges that the Responsible Officer function is independent of the Medical Director role.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Staff and associate specialists, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this conference condemns recent moves to limit funding for study leave and insists that:
i) this funding should be adequate in order to meet the requirements for GMC revalidation and insists that
ii) employers that do not fulfil their commitment should be named.
Keyword(s): Funding, Revalidation, Study leave

Policy group: Junior Members Forum, 2009
(Source: Conference)
That this Forum notes the GMC's introduction of medical licensing and;
(i) believes that a licence to practise, underpinned by regular revalidation, is an essential prerequisite for the right to prescribe;
(ii) calls on the BMA to strenuously oppose any attempt to fund this system from doctors' income, as this new level of professional regulation is ultimately in the interests of public safety.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2008
(Source: Conference)
That this conference insists that revalidation should not be burdensome, should be fairly and equitably applied and be introduced for the whole profession at the same time.
Keyword(s): Performance, Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2008
(Source: Conference)
That this conference believes that revalidation, relicensing and recertification:
(i) must be based on formative appraisal
(ii) must not be based on tests of knowledge
(iii) may have a role for knowledge-based tests in those who have failed the revalidation process; and (AS A REFERENCE)
(iv) calls on CCSC to develop new guidance on consultant appraisal.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Consultants, Performance, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2008
(Source: Conference)
That conference supports the Welsh Deanery in its efforts to develop a pilot for revalidation in Wales with the General Medical Council.
Keyword(s): Cymru Wales, General Medical Council, Postgraduate deaneries, Revalidation

Policy group: Staff and associate specialists, 2008
(Source: Conference)
That this conference insists that revalidation should not be burdensome, be fairly and equitably applied and be introduced for the whole profession at the same time.
Keyword(s): Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation, Staff and associate specialists

Policy group: Junior Members Forum, 2008
(Source: Conference)
That a GMC licence to practice, underpinned by regular revalidation, is essential for all doctors who prescribe.
Keyword(s): Professional registration and regulation, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2007
(Source: Conference)
That conference in considering the White Paper proposals for revalidation:
(i) supports a process that is realistic, not too demanding of a GP's time, and values wisdom before knowledge
(ii) insists that revalidation is only implemented after full consultation with all interested parties
(iii) insists that all groups of GPs should be treated equally during the process
(iv) believes that revalidation should be explicitly linked to a rigorous appraisal system
(v) believes that any changes brought about by the introduction of revalidation must be fully funded by new monies.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Retired Members Forum, 2007
(Source: Conference)
That this meeting foresees and deplores the potential loss of a large reservoir of medical expertise in dealing with emergency situations should revalidation become a reality in its presently proposed form.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Retired Members Forum, 2006
(Source: Conference)
That this Meeting foresees and deplores the potential loss of a large reservoir of medical expertise in dealing with emergency situations should revalidation become a reality in its presently proposed form.
Keyword(s): First Aid and Immediate Care, Revalidation

Policy group: Retired Members Forum, 2006
(Source: Conference)
That this Meeting asks the BMA to consider the use of the curriculum of the courses that currently exist for validating nurse and pharmacist prescribers to design an equivalent correspondence or internet course for retired doctors.
Keyword(s): Pharmacists, Prescribing Nurses, Retired Doctors, Revalidation

Policy group: Retired Members Forum, 2006
(Source: Conference)
That, following the completion of the Department of Health review, regardless of the need for re-validation, the BMA recommends that retired doctors continue to have prescribing rights, as those working doctors have, who are in non-clinical subjects
Keyword(s): Prescribing, Retired Doctors, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior Members Forum, 2006
(Source: Conference)
That this Forum calls for the BMA to lobby the GMC to investigate revalidation procedures for doctors and make them more robust in order to provide revalidators with the confidence to raise concerns without stigmatisation.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: Retired Members Forum, 2005
(Source: Conference)
That this Forum deplores the introduction of GMC charges for those over the age of 65 and the need for a licence and revalidation for fully retired doctors who once in a while under certain circumstances may like to prescribe.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Prescribing, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners Scotland, 2005
(Source: Conference)
That this Conference:
i. Calls for early clarification of the proposals for revalidation
ii. Calls for an end to the “witch hunt” of doctors promoted as a result of the Shipman reports
iii. Insists that any proposals to change the GMC should ensure that the natural principles of justice remain whereby all are innocent of misconduct until proven otherwise.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation, Shipman Enquiry

Policy group: General practitioners, 2005
(Source: Conference)
That conference in considering revalidation:
(i) supports the concept
(ii) believes that the recommendations in 5th report of the Shipman Inquiry will demoralise doctors, increase their workload and do nothing to improve patient care
(iii) opposes the introduction of a regular examination for the purposes of revalidation
(iv) calls on the government to be proportionate in their proposals and not place an excessive burden upon doctors
(v) insists that the mechanism must be fit for purpose, workable and adequately resourced.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2005
(Source: Conference)
That conference insists that PCOs should fully implement, without exception, the terms of the appraisal guidance and offer and fund appraisal to all GPs, including sessional and freelance GPs, on the PCO's performers list.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2005
(Source: ARM)
That following the reports of the Shipman Inquiry this Meeting:
(i) calls on the UK government to ensure that the revalidation process is robust, practical, affordable and does not detract from delivery of patient care;
(iia) believes that revalidation should be developed in consultation with interested and relevant professional groups
(iii) believes that appraisal and clinical governance can be usefully adapted to inform revalidation and commends this to government;
(v) has serious concerns regarding the diversion of time and resources away from direct patient care to any revalidation process which lacks the evidence base to justify it
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation, Shipman Enquiry

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2004
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting urges the GMC, in view of deepening anxieties over its wavering approach to revalidation, to promote greater clarity in terms of the revalidating process and the relationship between revalidation and annual appraisal.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners, 2003
(Source: Conference)
That conference deplores the haphazard introduction and inadequate resourcing of GP appraisals and:
(i) records its serious concerns that this will threaten successful GMC revalidation of NHS GPs;
(ii) insists that it is adequately funded, such that no GP is out of pocket as a result of participation;
(iii) insists that protected time is available for all those involved;
(iv) believes that all GPs should be subject to the same regulations and provided with the same funding support for the process.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, NHS Funding, Revalidation

Policy group: Medical Academics, 2002
(Source: Conference)
This meeting expresses concern on the likely costs of revalidation to individual doctors in both financial and time demands and calls upon the MASC to clarify exactly what this might imply for members.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Consultants, 2002
(Source: Conference)
That this meeting:
(i) urges the GMC to give proper consideration in their revalidation proposals to the position of retired medical practitioners;
(ii) [As a reference]: hopes that the mechanisms finally agreed will not act as an impediment to retired medical practitioners remaining on the Register;
(iii) recognises the important contribution to the NHS of recently retired consultants.
Keyword(s): Retired Doctors, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2001
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee recognises the crucial importance of the annual assessment (RITA) in the proposed revalidation mechanism for junior doctors and therefore:
(i) deplores instances where misimplementation of new assessment criteria have been unfairly prejudicial to junior doctors undergoing assessment;
(ii) deplores attempts by specialty training committees to undermine the contribution of nominated trainee representatives;
(iii) asks that the JDC undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the RITA mechanism as currently functioning, to disseminate good practice where it exists and expose processes in need of remedy.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Junior Doctors, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2001
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee deplores the recent exponential rise in the annual retention fee levied by the General Medical Council and calls for the government to fund the increasing costs of revalidation.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2001
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee believes that, in order to meet the requirements for revalidation, the RITA process should be improved and rolled out to all junior doctor grades.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Junior Doctors, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2001
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee believes that in the reform of the GMC's structure and governance:
(i) the demographics of the medical members of the GMC should reflect that of the medical workforce;
(ii) all medical members of the GMC should be subject to revalidation;
(iii) all members of the GMC should be subject to appraisal of their GMC work;
(iv) all medical members of the GMC should provide the outcome of such appraisal as evidence for revalidation.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2001
(Source: ARM)
That the current GMC revalidation proposals will be wasteful of time and clinical expertise which would serve better in direct patient care.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: General practitioners Scotland, 2001
(Source: Conference)
That this Conference supports the concept of revalidation to maintain standards within the profession but insists that individual general practitioners should not have to pay for it either directly or indirectly.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2000
(Source: Committee)
That the JDC fully supports BMA Council in its stance on:
(i) the preferred option of the GMC Governance Working Group for a Board/Standing Conference;
(ii) the current proposals for revalidation;
(iii) the criminal burden of proof remaining as the standard of proof for doctors undergoing the GMC's fitness to practise proceedings
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2000
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting supports the principle of revalidation provided that it is adequately resourced, practical and thoroughly piloted and evaluated.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2000
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting believes that in order to win the support of the profession, the process which is introduced for revalidation must:
(i) pose no threat to registration other than through the GMC's "Fitness to Practise" procedures;
(ii) be based only on valid, robust and verifiable evidence;
(iii) be workable, fair and transparent;
(iv) ensure safe clinical practice, being concerned solely with fitness to remain on the medical register;
(v) not use information which is from any anonymous source, and
(vi) believes furthermore that for senior hospital doctors all of these criteria would be met by the implementation of the CCSC's proposals for a system of revalidation based on appraisal.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 2000
(Source: Committee)
That the British Medical Association should promote greater openness, accountability and revalidation of each of the Royal Colleges, with particular reference to:
(i) teaching and training for membership examinations;
(ii) the explicit tackling of institutional discrimination.
Keyword(s): Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Accountability, Equal Opportunities, Medical Education and Training, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 2000
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting mandates Council to work with the GMC and Government to formulate and implement a fair system where feasible for the rehabilitation and revalidation of doctors whose names have been removed from the medical register.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 1999
(Source: ARM)
That, whilst welcoming the moves towards revalidation, the BMA should work to ensure that the revalidation process takes into account doctors' working environments.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 1999
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee believes that, if the current appraisal and assessment of doctors in training were being carried out properly, there would be no need for a parallel revalidation scheme.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 1999
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee believes that, for doctors in training, revalidation or recertification on to the GMC's full register can only be successful through the strengthening of current appraisal and assessment mechanisms, and the development of competency-based assessments for all specialties.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Competency-Based Assessment, General Medical Council, Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 1999
(Source: Committee)
That the JDC believes that revalidation of doctors in training should involve improvements to existing mechanisms of assessment, rather than a separate process being introduced.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 1999
(Source: ARM)
That this Meeting believes that, for doctors in training, revalidation or recertification on to the GMC's full register can only be successful through the strengthening of current appraisal and assessment mechanisms, and the development of competency-based assessments for all specialties.
Keyword(s): Appraisal, Competency-Based Assessment, Revalidation

Policy group: Annual Representative Meeting, 1999
(Source: ARM)
That concerning revalidation this Meeting has considerable concerns relating to:
(i) the cost of the processes involved in time and resources;
(ii) the lack of clearly defined extra funding to meet these needs;
(iii) the lack of a clear ability of the GMC or the colleges to deliver on its proposals and calls upon the Council to ensure that revalidation is not bought at doctors' expense.
Keyword(s): Revalidation

Policy group: Junior doctors, 1999
(Source: Committee)
That this Committee:
(i) welcomes the efforts made by the GMC to improve standards of medical practice;
(ii) calls upon the GMC to amend the proposed revalidation procedures by removing the automatic link with registration;
(iii) calls upon the GMC to help to raise standards of medical practice by actively promoting substantial increases in the allocation and funding of study leave for doctors at all stages of their careers.
Keyword(s): General Medical Council, Revalidation, Study Leave