Two Shropshire doctors referred to GMC for test refusal

A further one in seven of those tested so far at the Royal Shrewsbury and Telford's Princess Royal hospitals have failed to pass stringent requirements to become revalidated and had their applications deferred.

Revalidation was introduced last year and requires licensed doctors to demonstrate on a regular basis they are up to date and fit to practise.

The Government hopes it will give extra confidence to patients that their doctor is being regularly checked by hospitals and the watchdog General Medical Council (GMC).

Those who refuse to co-operate face the prospect of being struck off - and health chiefs at a Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust board meeting yesterday (thu) said the two doctors were putting their careers at risk.

Figures presented to the board for the financial year 2013/14 showed 10 doctors had applications for revalidation deferred from April 2013 to March this year, with 61 gaining revalidation.

Dr Edwin Borman, medical director at the trust, said it had been set a challenging target of getting all 300 doctors under its wing revalidated by 2018.

He said: "It is about keeping fit to practise and up to date with medical requirements.

"In the first couple of months I had to defer more applications than I was able to revalidate.

"I am really pleased now to be able to say that balance has now shifted, we are much more able to make positive recommendations.

"Unfortunately two doctors have had to be referred to the GMC.

"They have refused to engage in the process and that is a very serious matter.

"They are putting at risk their right to practise medicine by not engaging.

"The requirements for revalidation are definitely becoming more stringent."

In the papers submitted ahead of the board meeting, Dr Borman said doctors would have to revalidate every five years and have annual appraisals on their fitness to practise.

The paper says: "In the first months following the implementation of revalidation, more doctors at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust had to have their revalidation deferred than were eligible for a positive recommendation.

"Following the implementation of interventions, this has changed to more positive recommendations than deferrals.

"However, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust remains behind the national average for positive recommendations, largely as a result of the inadequate initial development of systems to support revalidation.

"To date, while there have been a higher than expected number of doctors at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust who have required deferral, very few have had significant problems with regard to their revalidation.

"Two doctors have not engaged with the revalidation system.

"In both cases, despite numerous reminders, and personal contact, these doctors did not submit any materials that could be deemed as demonstrating that they meaningfully had engaged with the requirements for revalidation.

"Both doctors have been referred to the General Medical Council."

Non-executive board member Dr Simon Walford, a GP, said revalidation was an "exhausting" process for doctors to have to go through and that he was glad he was retired and would not have to do it.