Revalidation for doctors in private practice

Doctors who work privately, whether alongside an NHS post or only in the independent sector, still revalidate. How you revalidate depends on your connection. This guide sets out what the GMC says.

The GMC says your annual appraisal must cover all of your UK medical practice, and its revalidation FAQ lists NHS, independent sector, voluntary and private work together. You must collect supporting information from every setting you work in, and list all the organisations, locations and roles since your last appraisal. See scope of practice, probity and health statements.

For most doctors, your designated body is the organisation in which you do most or all of your practice. You can’t choose it, and it can’t choose you. Use the GMC’s connection tool, and see designated body and responsible officer explained.

• NHS post plus private work: your connection is usually through your main employer. The GMC says you must tell your responsible officer (RO) about all practice that requires a licence, and you may need to give details of the RO, or the person responsible for clinical governance, at the other places you work, so your RO can get feedback on your work as a whole.
• Independent sector only: you may be connected to a designated body if you do most of your practice at an organisation that is one. If you aren’t sure, the connection tool and the organisation itself can tell you.

The GMC says you may be able to identify a suitable person: a licensed doctor the GMC has approved to make a recommendation about you. Typically that is a responsible officer or someone with similar responsibilities, someone responsible for clinical governance or appraisal in your organisation, or the medical director of an organisation or membership body that supports doctors who do your type of work.

The GMC’s criteria for a suitable person include that they:

• hold GMC registration with a licence and have held registration continuously for at least five years;
• have a clear and rational link to you, such as an employment relationship or sharing a niche specialty or sector;
• have sufficient knowledge and oversight of your working environment to assess your fitness to practise and make sure you take part in revalidation; and
• have no conflict of interest, bias or perception of bias.

Some membership organisations are also designated bodies. See how to revalidate without a responsible officer. If you have neither a designated body nor a suitable person, you arrange your own appraisal and send an annual return to the GMC.

• Significant events and complaints: if you are self-employed, the GMC says to make a note of any events or incidents and review them. For complaints and compliments, organisations where you practise should help by giving you access to relevant information. See significant events and complaints.
• Patient and colleague feedback: the GMC says that in settings with no system in place, or where you don’t work regularly in one setting, you should not collect responses yourself but use an independent provider to process them and give you an anonymised report. See patient and colleague feedback.
• Quality improvement and CPD: these must cover your whole practice, including private work. See quality improvement activity and CPD for appraisal.

The GMC says your appraisal is an opportunity to discuss your legal obligation to have appropriate and adequate insurance or indemnity. Check your cover includes your private work.

If you have an RO, your designated body makes sure you have an appraisal, and you must use the system provided unless your RO asks you to use an alternative. See independent medical appraisal. If you have a suitable person, they help you access an appraisal they agree is sufficient.

GMC, Revalidation requirements for doctors; Who can become a suitable person; Revalidation for doctors: questions and answers; Guidance on supporting information for revalidation.