I question the opinion expressed by the RCGP’s Professor Nigel Sparrow that revalidation should be a process that GPs ‘enjoy’.
Perhaps it was thought revalidation should be introduced to rebuild the public’s trust in doctors, rather than because it was truly felt our profession really needed revalidation.
I suspect, given the political climate, it was much easier jumping on the revalidation bus than objecting to it on the basis of its questionable benefits. Revalidation is a costly exercise not able to bring, per se, any improvement to our professionalism. If anything, it will give us negative feedback and outcomes.
I would welcome the money and time that is being invested in revalidation being redirected towards CME instead. Revalidation is the fruit of negativity rather than an attempt to respond to our educational and professional development needs.
From Dr Edoardo Cervoni, Southport, Merseyside
