What Is GMC Revalidation?
GMC revalidation is the process through which the General Medical Council confirms that a licensed doctor is up to date and fit to practise. It applies to every doctor holding a UK licence to practise, regardless of specialty, grade, or employment status. The process runs on a five-year cycle. Within that cycle, your responsible officer — a senior licensed doctor within your designated body — evaluates your fitness to practise based on your appraisal history and clinical governance information, then makes a recommendation to the GMC. The GMC makes the final decision on whether to renew your licence.
Revalidation is not a separate examination or assessment for most doctors. It is the culmination of your annual appraisals. If you engage properly with annual appraisal preparation and collect meaningful supporting information throughout your five-year cycle, revalidation should be straightforward. The difficulties arise when doctors disengage from the process, treat appraisal as a tick-box exercise, or fail to maintain their connection details.
You do not need to have five annual appraisals to revalidate. The GMC is clear that there is no requirement for five appraisals before a positive recommendation can be made. However, you must have collected and reflected on all six types of supporting information. This normally requires at least two appraisals, and in exceptional circumstances can be achieved at a single appraisal.
The Five-Year Revalidation Cycle
Your revalidation date is usually set five years after you first registered with the GMC, completed FY1 training, or completed specialist training. You can check your revalidation date through your GMC Online account. The GMC will give you formal notice of your revalidation submission date, and your responsible officer must make their recommendation on or before that date.
Within the five-year cycle, you are expected to participate in annual appraisals that cover your whole scope of practice. Each year, you should reflect on your CPD, any complaints and compliments, and any significant events. At least once during the cycle, you must collect formal patient feedback and colleague feedback, and participate in quality improvement activity. Your annual appraisals feed into your responsible officer's assessment, and the cumulative evidence forms the basis of their revalidation recommendation.
The Six Types of Supporting Information
The GMC requires you to collect, reflect on, and discuss six types of supporting information over your revalidation cycle. These are the same six types required for your annual appraisal, and together they demonstrate that you are practising in line with Good Medical Practice 2024.
- Continuing professional development (CPD) — learning activities that maintain and develop your skills. The recommended target is approximately 50 CPD hours per year, covering your whole scope of practice. Our CPD-certified courses count directly towards your hours
- Quality improvement activity — clinical audit, case reviews, service evaluations, and any structured activity where you assess and improve the quality of care you deliver
- Significant events — clinical or non-clinical incidents that provided learning opportunities, including patient safety incidents, near misses, and unexpected outcomes
- Colleague feedback — multi-source feedback collected using a validated tool from colleagues across different professional groups, required at least once per cycle
- Patient feedback — feedback collected using a validated questionnaire from a representative sample of patients, required at least once per cycle
- Complaints and compliments — a record of any complaints received and positive feedback, with reflections on what they reveal about your practice
The GMC emphasises quality over quantity. Choose clear examples within each category that generate meaningful reflection and discussion. Avoid collecting multiple examples that all demonstrate the same skills. Your supporting information should come predominantly from UK practice over the five-year cycle, though for any individual appraisal year this is not strictly necessary.
Your Responsible Officer and Designated Body
Your responsible officer (RO) is the cornerstone of the revalidation process. The RO is a senior licensed doctor within your designated body — usually your main employer — who has statutory responsibility for evaluating your fitness to practise and making a revalidation recommendation to the GMC. The RO oversees the appraisal process within the organisation, ensures quality and consistency, monitors clinical governance, and provides support and remediation where a doctor's practice falls below the required standard.
You must identify your designated body and responsible officer and keep your connection details up to date in your GMC Online account at all times. If your employment changes, you must update this information immediately. For doctors in training, the responsible officer is usually the postgraduate dean, and the designated body is NHS England (or equivalent in the devolved nations). If you leave training, your connection changes and the way you revalidate changes with it.
Revalidation for Doctors Without a Connection
Over 24,800 doctors in the UK currently have no designated body connection — approximately 17,189 of whom are international medical graduates. If you have no connection to a designated body or suitable person, the GMC directly manages your revalidation, and you face additional requirements beyond what connected doctors must do.
You must complete annual returns submitted through your GMC Online account, participate in annual appraisals with an independent GMC-compliant appraiser, and may need to pass a revalidation assessment — a multiple choice test consisting of 120 questions, taken in the year you are due to revalidate. You may also need to provide certificates of good standing if you have worked overseas and employer statements from current or previous employers. If you are an unconnected doctor, keeping your GMC Online details current and engaging proactively with the process is essential to maintaining your licence.
Deferral, Non-Engagement, and Licence Withdrawal
If your responsible officer needs more time before making a recommendation, they can recommend a deferral. This is a neutral act — it is not a negative outcome. During deferral, your licence to practise continues and you can continue working. Deferral periods range from four months to one year and may be recommended because you have not completed sufficient appraisals, you are returning from a break in practice, or you need more time to collect supporting information. If you have concerns about your readiness, speak to your responsible officer early rather than waiting until the last moment.
Non-engagement is very different from deferral. If you fail to participate in annual appraisals, fail to collect supporting information, fail to maintain your connection details, or fail to respond to GMC communications, your responsible officer may make a recommendation of non-engagement. The GMC may then begin a formal process to withdraw your licence to practise. Losing your licence means you cannot practise medicine in the UK. This is entirely preventable — the key is to engage with the process consistently, communicate with your responsible officer if you encounter difficulties, and never simply ignore your revalidation obligations.
Revalidation When Under GMC Investigation
If you are subject to a GMC investigation, the relationship between the investigation and your revalidation depends on timing. If an investigation is already underway when your revalidation falls due, the GMC will usually wait until the conclusion of proceedings before giving you notice of your revalidation submission date. If an investigation begins after you have received notice, the GMC may delay your revalidation until the outcome is known.
During an investigation, you should continue to engage with annual appraisals and collect supporting information. If you have conditions on your registration or have agreed undertakings, you must comply with these and continue to engage with revalidation. Use your appraisals to demonstrate that you are taking the concerns seriously, completing relevant CPD, and demonstrating remediation. Your engagement during this period forms part of the evidence that informs both the investigation outcome and your eventual revalidation recommendation.
The doctors who navigate revalidation most successfully are those who treat the annual appraisal as a genuine opportunity to reflect and improve — not as paperwork to be tolerated. Your responsible officer is looking for evidence that you are engaged, reflective, and committed to maintaining the standards your patients deserve.
Probity and Health Declarations
As part of revalidation, you must make formal declarations about probity and health. The probity declaration requires you to confirm that any information you have communicated as a doctor is accurate and not false or misleading. This includes confirming you hold appropriate indemnity or insurance and that you have declared and managed conflicts of interest appropriately. If there are probity matters to address — including any involvement in regulatory proceedings, criminal matters, or concerns about dishonesty — you should discuss these with your appraiser before your revalidation date.
The health declaration requires you to consider whether there are any matters relating to your health and wellbeing that may affect your fitness to practise. Good Medical Practice 2024 provides guidance on managing your health, and your appraiser can signpost further support if needed. Both declarations are part of demonstrating that you meet the professional standards expected of a licensed doctor in the UK.
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Bulk Buy 10 Courses →Frequently Asked Questions
What is GMC revalidation?
GMC revalidation is the process through which the GMC confirms that a licensed doctor is up to date and fit to practise. It applies to every doctor holding a UK licence and occurs once every five years. Your responsible officer reviews your appraisal history and clinical governance information, then makes a recommendation to the GMC, which makes the final decision.
How often do doctors need to revalidate?
Once every five years. Your revalidation date is usually set five years after first registration, completing FY1, or completing specialist training. Doctors in training whose programme lasts less than five years first revalidate at CCT eligibility. Check your date through your GMC Online account.
What are the requirements for GMC revalidation?
You must participate in annual appraisals covering your whole scope of practice, collect six types of supporting information (CPD, quality improvement, significant events, colleague feedback, patient feedback, complaints and compliments), maintain your GMC Online connection details, and make probity and health declarations. Your responsible officer uses this to make their recommendation.
What is a responsible officer in revalidation?
A responsible officer is a senior licensed doctor within your designated body with statutory responsibility for evaluating your fitness to practise and making a revalidation recommendation to the GMC. Usually your main employer appoints the RO. For trainees, it is usually the postgraduate dean. The RO oversees appraisals, monitors clinical governance, and ensures support where needed.
What happens if my revalidation is deferred?
Deferral is a neutral act giving you more time to collect supporting information. Your licence continues and you can keep working. Deferral periods range from four months to one year. It may occur because you have not completed enough appraisals, are returning from a break, or need more time to collect evidence. It is not a negative outcome.
What happens if I do not engage with revalidation?
Your responsible officer may recommend non-engagement to the GMC, which may begin a process to withdraw your licence. Non-engagement includes failing to participate in appraisals, failing to collect supporting information, failing to maintain connection details, or failing to respond to GMC communications. Losing your licence means you cannot practise medicine in the UK.
Can I revalidate if I am under GMC investigation?
The GMC usually waits until proceedings conclude before giving you notice of your revalidation submission date. If an investigation begins after notice is given, the GMC may delay revalidation. Continue engaging with appraisal and collecting supporting information during this period. If you have conditions on your registration, comply with them and continue engaging with revalidation.
How do doctors in training revalidate?
By engaging in your training programme. Your responsible officer is usually your postgraduate dean, and their recommendation is based on your ARCP participation. You do not need additional appraisals or supporting information beyond training requirements. An adverse training outcome does not automatically prevent revalidation provided you remain fit to practise.
What if I have no designated body or responsible officer?
Over 24,800 UK doctors have no connection. You must complete annual returns via GMC Online, participate in appraisals with an independent appraiser, and may need to pass a 120-question revalidation assessment. You may also need certificates of good standing and employer statements. The GMC directly manages your revalidation.
Do I need five appraisals to revalidate?
No. The GMC confirms there is no requirement for five appraisals before a positive recommendation. You do not need to catch up approved missed appraisals. However, you must have collected all six types of supporting information. This normally requires at least two appraisals, and exceptionally can be achieved at one.
What CPD courses support GMC revalidation?
Our Ethics and Ethical Standards for Doctors aligns with GMP 2024. Professionalism covers conduct standards assessed at revalidation. Probity supports the probity declaration. Our Bulk Buy of 10 courses for £500 provides a comprehensive portfolio demonstrating meaningful professional development to your appraiser and responsible officer.
What is the probity declaration for revalidation?
You must confirm that information you have communicated is accurate and not misleading. This includes confirming you hold appropriate indemnity and have declared conflicts of interest. If there are probity matters to address — including regulatory proceedings, criminal matters, or honesty concerns — discuss these with your appraiser before your revalidation date.
Can my revalidation date be changed?
Yes. Your date may be brought forward if your CCT date changes, or delayed if you are under GMC investigation. If you do not engage sufficiently, the GMC may cancel your date and reissue an earlier one for a non-engagement recommendation. In exceptional circumstances, discuss changes with your responsible officer or the GMC directly.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional regulatory advice. If you have concerns about your revalidation, contact your responsible officer, your designated body's revalidation team, your medical defence organisation, or the GMC directly.