‘Feedback’ in the context of medical revalidation
This blog explains what is meant by ‘Feedback’ in the context of medical revalidation, and provides guidance on how to prepare for this element of revalidation.
You’ll need to collect feedback from colleagues and, where appropriate to your scope of work, patients at least once in every 5-year revalidation cycle. If you undertake clinical supervision and/or training of others, you’ll also need to provide feedback from your trainees/students or the results of peer review of your teaching skills.
- Feedback from colleagues
You need to demonstrate that you have participated in a periodic formal colleague feedback exercise. This can be done using validated tools selected by your employer, or you can use the questionnaires published by the General Medical Council (GMC).
This exercise must be ‘in date’ when you are recommended for revalidation; that is, the feedback exercise must have taken place within the 5 years prior to your revalidation date. Your appraiser may sometimes wish you to undertake colleague feedback exercises more frequently than every 5 years, for example if your scope or place of work has changed since the previous exercise.
The minimum number of colleagues that you will need to collect feedback from will vary according to the instrument you have chosen – for the GMC one, it is around 15 colleagues.
- Feedback from patients
You need to demonstrate that, where appropriate to your scope of work, you have participated in a periodic formal patient feedback exercise. This can be done using validated tools selected by your employer, or you can use the questionnaires published by the GMC.
This exercise must be ‘in date’ when you are recommended for revalidation; that is, the feedback exercise must have taken place within the 5 years prior to your revalidation date. Your appraiser may sometimes wish you to undertake colleague feedback exercises more frequently than every 5 years, for example if your scope or place of work has changed since the previous exercise.
The minimum number of patients that you will need to collect feedback from will vary according to the instrument you have chosen – for the GMC one, it is around 35 patients.
- Feedback from clinical supervision, teaching and training
If you undertake clinical supervision and/or training of others, you’ll need to provide evidence of your performance at least once in every 5-year revalidation cycle. This could include the results of feedback from your students/trainees, or peer review of your teaching skills.
Conclusion
Feedback is not a box-ticking exercise — it is a structured reflection tool that, when approached properly, gives you valuable insight into how your practice is perceived by those around you. Whether you are collecting colleague feedback, patient responses, or trainee evaluations, each piece of evidence contributes to a fuller picture of your professional standards. Staying on top of these requirements across your 5-year cycle ensures your revalidation recommendation is supported by meaningful, well-rounded evidence.
For personalised guidance on preparing your feedback evidence and navigating the revalidation process, Medical Appraisals provides independent appraisal support tailored to your scope of practice.
Source: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
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