I’ve just returned from the bi-monthly meeting of the RCGP’s Revalidation Stakeholder Group, so I thought I’d give you a brief update. Please bear in mind that a lot of what goes on in these meetings is still “under development” so I’m talking mostly in general terms.

When I’ve got my revalidation hat on, I talk mostly in terms of locums as, generally, salaried GPs will be covered by practice based systems:

• Audit – probably looking like every GP – locums of course included - will have to do a clinical audit cycle twice every 5 years. In my opinion, locums who are spread among many practices and/or who are isolated from other locums could find this really tough. What I’d really appreciate here is your help – please, I’d love to hear from any of your locum members who’ve done some audit on their locum practise so that I can further develop the Audit For Locums section on the NASGP website at www.nasgp.org.uk/cpd/audit so that we’ve all got a central resource for ideas over the coming months and years.

• MSF – I thought this was something to do with DIY before I realised it stands for Multi-Source Feedback or 360 feedback. Again – a couple of times possibly (I did say it was all still vague, didn’t I?) over the course of the 5 year revalidation cycle. As locums, we’re going to have to apply to colleagues –either other GP locums or GPs in practices where we’re “well known” – to formally provide us with feedback on our clinical ability and professional behaviour from up to 5 clinicians and/or other non-clinical staff. Again, any experiences from you in doing this as a locum would be really helpful.

• I did get a tadge irritated today as yet again I felt we (all 15,000 of us!!) were being overlooked on the issue of complaints – not so much how locums are involved in the process, more the fact we’re often entirely overlooked and simply aren’t told about them – just not booked again! The solution, I fear, warrants a tidal shift in the attitude of many practices (which is why we so need the NASGP).