The Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 and the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 require each body designated under the regulations to appoint a Responsible Officer (RO) who must monitor and evaluate the fitness to practise of doctors with whom the designated body has a prescribed connection. This process is regulated by the Department of Health in England.
In Scotland, the RO is usually the Executive Medical Director of the NHS Health Board.
The RO is the person who makes Revalidation recommendations to the GMC.
For Trainees, it is the Medical Director of NHS Education for Scotland (NES).
A designated body is a doctor's principal employer that will provide a regular appraisal and support them with revalidation. A list of designated bodies is available on the GMC website.
This page was last updated on: 21/03/2022
