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IDF Responsible Officer Update

As part of the Appraisal & Revalidation process, Responsible Officers (ROs) will be appointed, so that every licensed doctor has a relationship with a single RO.  In organisations of sufficient size it is likely that this position will be filled by the Medical Director.  The RO must be GMC registered and licensed.

The RO will review clinical governance data for the organisation, and deal with any concerns regarding each doctor’s practice as they arise.  They will also review each doctor’s summary of appraisal.  At the end of each five year period, they will be able to recommend whether a doctor should be relicensed or not.  The GMC will then make the final decision concerning relicensing. GMC affiliates will be appointed regionally, and will be the first port of call for any discussion of concerns about a doctor’s practice that cannot easily be solved in house by the RO.

A consultation document has now been issued by the Department of Health on the role of the RO. The draft bill is suggesting that the IDF will be a designated body and will therefore nominate a Responsible Officer. 

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