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A prescription for doctors

Carol BlackDoctors should periodically reassess and revalidate their skills and professional qualifications, president of the Royal College of Physicians , London, Carol Black tells C. Maya.

Doctors should periodically offer themselves for re-assessment and revalidation of their skills and professional qualifications, president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), London, Carol Black has said

Dr. Black, who has been heading RCP, the professional membership organisation with almost 20,000 Fellows and members worldwide, for the past three years, was talking to The Hindu recently on the sidelines of an international conference at Kovalam here.

Dr. Black said that this system of revalidation of doctors would be introduced in the United Kingdom this year itself. The re-assessment could be through a written examination or by an assessment of the doctor in clinical practice.

Revalidation will only enhance the high confidence that patients have in their doctors, Dr. Black added.

Established in 1518, the RCP has been setting the highest standards in medical practice, education and training. It also conducts examinations and quality assurance external audit programmes. In 2004, some 20,000 candidates took the MRCP (U.K.) examination for the coveted membership of the organisation.

"We want to promote MRCP examination as a standard in clinical excellence rather than as a qualification for doctors to practice in the UK. We assess physicians for their professional skills as well as their skills as educators and communicators," Dr. Black said.

"We should train doctors to communicate openly and fairly with patients. At the National Health Service (NHS) in the U.K., patients are empowered and are at the centre of the system. We have conciliation services in our hospitals for settling any issues that patients may raise. The RCP has also started a Patient and Carer Network, which is represented in all our committees and working groups so that we, doctors, can genuinely understand the needs of patients," Dr. Black said.

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