Revalidation Helpdesk for Surgery
The surgical Royal Colleges and Specialty Associations have set up a helpdesk that provides specialty-specific advice on revalidation and appraisal. The helpdesk works with a network of specialty advisers that can respond to revalidation queries across all surgical specialties and regions.
Types of Enquiries Processed through the Helpdesk
The helpdesk team and advisers will respond to specialty queries from surgeons, appraisers and responsible officers about surgical revalidation, including queries on supporting information, quality improvement activity, outcomes and continuing professional development.
Please note that answers to generic queries on revalidation can be found in the Revalidation Guide for Surgery.
Before contacting the helpdesk, we also recommend that you familiarise yourself with the following guidance documents (available to download below):
- Surgery Guidance on Supporting Information
- Revalidation Checklist for Surgery
- Revalidation Frequently Asked Questions for Retired Doctors or those Preparing to Retire
Helpdesk Proforma and Email
The helpdesk can be contacted via email. Enquirers are asked to complete a proforma and email it to revalidation@rcsed.ac.uk
Helpdesk Process
- All revalidation enquiries will be received by the helpdesk via email through the dedicated proforma.
- All queries will be logged and recorded upon receipt. The log and any identifiable information presented in the enquiries will remain strictly confidential and will be bound by the regulations of the Data Protection Act 1998.
- The helpdesk team will respond directly to generic enquiries on revalidation. Enquiries that need specialty advice will be forwarded via email to the adviser of the respective surgical specialty.
- All identifiable information of the enquirer will be redacted by the helpdesk before forwarding the enquiry to the specialty adviser to protect the enquirer's anonymity. The specialty adviser will respond to the enquiry through the helpdesk rather than directly to the enquirer.
- In most cases a reply to an enquiry will be provided within 2-3 days. In some instances where specialty-specific advice is sought, it can take longer for advisers to gather the information required for a response. In this case a reply acknowledging the enquiry will be sent within 2 days, with a notification that the substantial answer may take additional response time.
Confidentiality
The Colleges and Specialty Associations undertake to keep information supplied to them confidential unless otherwise required by law, court order or any regulatory authority to disclose it. They reserve the right to disclose such information (in confidence) to the General Medical Council or other relevant regulatory authority if they reasonably consider it in the public interest to do so.
Note on the use of the advice
The helpdesk and the revalidation advisers are not involved in the revalidation recommendation of individual surgeons. Advice is intended for the sole use of the person making the enquiry. It is not intended to be used or relied upon by a third party.
Advice is provided with reasonable care and in good faith, based on specific facts or set of circumstances presented in the enquiry. The Colleges and Specialty Associations do not accept any possible liability arising from the advice. The advice is intended as guidance only and is not binding.
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