UK Medical Appraisals
Independent, GMC-Compliant Medical Appraisals for UK and International Doctors
Fast, supportive, and fully accredited — with no hidden fees and free REV12 completion if you don't have a Designated Body.
1. What is Revalidation?
Revalidation is the date that your GMC licence to practise renews. It occurs once every 5 years and it is generally set 5 years after: a] you first registered with the GMC, or b] you completed FY1 training, or c] you completed specialist training.
Contact UKMA for more information
Contact UKMA for more information
2. What is an Annual Return?
An Annual Return is the process by which doctors, who do not have a Designated Body, make a direct submission to the GMC. It comprises an Annual Appraisal [with an Appraisal form + a REV 12 form, completed by your Appraiser] + completion of certain documents on your GMC platform account, such as the REV11 form.
Please note, NHS England has discontinued the use of the MAG4 appraisal form, and it should no longer be used for appraisals. UKMA will provide you with an alternative, that is fully compliant with updated NHS England and GMC requirements.
Contact UKMA for more information
Please note, NHS England has discontinued the use of the MAG4 appraisal form, and it should no longer be used for appraisals. UKMA will provide you with an alternative, that is fully compliant with updated NHS England and GMC requirements.
Contact UKMA for more information
3. What is a Medical Appraisal?
UKMA provides the annual process of facilitated self-review, supported by information gathered from the full scope of your work. Your scope of practice is defined by all the types of Medical work you do, inside and or outside of the UK. Looking back over a 5 year Revalidation Cycle, the supporting information should have been gathered predominantly from UK practice. However, for any given 1 year appraisal period, this is not necessary.
There are 6 types of supporting information that are provided for appraisals and that should cover your scope[s] of practice.
1. Continuing professional development (CPD / CME) [try to aim for 50 hours each year - this can include UK-based and non-UK based activities]. The number of hours maybe less than 50, particularly if this is your first appraisal.
There are 6 types of supporting information that are provided for appraisals and that should cover your scope[s] of practice.
1. Continuing professional development (CPD / CME) [try to aim for 50 hours each year - this can include UK-based and non-UK based activities]. The number of hours maybe less than 50, particularly if this is your first appraisal.
2. Any Quality improvement activity [such as audit, case-based discussions, service improvement activities]. UKMA will provide you with templates for these.
3. Any Significant Events that you and or your team were involved in [A Significant Event is an event that did lead, or could have led, to harm].
4, Feedback from patients or those to whom you provide medical services. This needs to be collected at least once within each Revalidation Cycle, but it is not necessary to provide this for each appraisal].
5. Feedback from colleagues [Reference letters / letters of recommendation for each appraisal. These should cover each of your UK and any non-UK scope[s] of practice. Formal multi-source feedback from colleagues needs to be collected at least once within each Revalidation Cycle, but it is not necessary to provide this for each appraisal.
6. Any Compliments and complaints that you and or your team were involved in.
Contact UKMA for more information
Contact UKMA for more information
4. What can I expect from a Medical Appraisal with UKMA?
You will receive expert guidance and support with your Appraisal preparation.
Your appraisal will be a formal, but relaxed, friendly and supportive meeting, with one of the most experienced Medical Appraisers in the UK. It will be via video link and will last about 1 hour.
Your appraiser will create an environment in which you will feel able to ask questions about the appraisal process and about any concerns you have.
During the meeting, your Appraiser will facilitate discussions and your reflections on the supporting evidence you have provided for your Appraisal. These discussions and reflections will be used to formulate your Personal Development Plan for the subsequent 12 months [your Appraiser will guide you on this].
Following your Appraisal, your Appraiser will complete [finalise] the Appraisal form and complete all sections of the REV12 form. They will then email these completed documents to you, during the 48 hours following your Appraisal.
You then upload these to your online GMC account. Within 14 days, the GMC will then email your Appraiser, to ask them to confirm that they met with you for your Appraisal and that they completed the Appraisal forms. Your Appraiser will confirm this within a few hours and your Appraisal process will then be complete.
Contact UKMA for more information
Your appraisal will be a formal, but relaxed, friendly and supportive meeting, with one of the most experienced Medical Appraisers in the UK. It will be via video link and will last about 1 hour.
Your appraiser will create an environment in which you will feel able to ask questions about the appraisal process and about any concerns you have.
During the meeting, your Appraiser will facilitate discussions and your reflections on the supporting evidence you have provided for your Appraisal. These discussions and reflections will be used to formulate your Personal Development Plan for the subsequent 12 months [your Appraiser will guide you on this].
Following your Appraisal, your Appraiser will complete [finalise] the Appraisal form and complete all sections of the REV12 form. They will then email these completed documents to you, during the 48 hours following your Appraisal.
You then upload these to your online GMC account. Within 14 days, the GMC will then email your Appraiser, to ask them to confirm that they met with you for your Appraisal and that they completed the Appraisal forms. Your Appraiser will confirm this within a few hours and your Appraisal process will then be complete.
Contact UKMA for more information
5. Does UKMA facilitate Appraisals for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) ?
The answer is yes, of course. We recognise the huge contribution that IMGs make to UK Medical Practice.
There are five common scenarios in which IMGs have an appraisal with the UK Medical Appraisals:
1. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, both within the UK and outside of the UK
2. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, outside of the UK, whilst they are actively applying for paid clinical work and or a Clinical Attachment / Observership, in the UK
3. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, within the UK
4. The IMG is undertaking, or has recently undertaken, a Clinical Attachment / Observership in the UK, but is not in paid clinical work. However, they are actively applying for paid clinical work in the UK
5. The IMG has been on a career break / maternity leave and is actively applying for paid clinical work and or a Clinical Attachment / Observership, in the UK
Contact UKMA for more information
There are five common scenarios in which IMGs have an appraisal with the UK Medical Appraisals:
1. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, both within the UK and outside of the UK
2. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, outside of the UK, whilst they are actively applying for paid clinical work and or a Clinical Attachment / Observership, in the UK
3. The IMG is working in paid clinical practice, within the UK
4. The IMG is undertaking, or has recently undertaken, a Clinical Attachment / Observership in the UK, but is not in paid clinical work. However, they are actively applying for paid clinical work in the UK
5. The IMG has been on a career break / maternity leave and is actively applying for paid clinical work and or a Clinical Attachment / Observership, in the UK
Contact UKMA for more information
6. What Other Resources Does UKMA provide?
A certified course on Quality Improvement Activities for Doctors [3 CPD points] - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A comprehensive CPD Directory - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A Clinical Attachment Guide for IMGs, which includes a list of hospitals that provide Clinical Attachments - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A State of the Art Case Based Discussion Template - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A State of the Art Reference letter Template - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
Contact UKMA for more information
A comprehensive CPD Directory - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A Clinical Attachment Guide for IMGs, which includes a list of hospitals that provide Clinical Attachments - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A State of the Art Case Based Discussion Template - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
A State of the Art Reference letter Template - free for all Doctors having an appraisal with UKMA
Contact UKMA for more information
Hot Topic of the Week
Monday 7th April 2025
Monday 7th April 2025
GMC Guidance on Consent and Decision-Making: A Vital Refresher for Every Doctor
Consent lies at the heart of patient-centred care. The General Medical Council (GMC) expects all doctors to understand the legal and ethical framework underpinning consent and decision-making. Their guidance is clear: patients must be empowered to make informed decisions about their treatment, and doctors must uphold the highest standards of communication, respect, and transparency.
The legal landscape has evolved over the years, shaped by legislation and landmark case law. In England and Wales, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides the framework for supporting adults (aged 16 and over) who may lack the capacity to make certain decisions. It emphasises assessing capacity carefully and, where capacity is absent, making decisions in the individual’s best interests. Clinicians must follow the Act’s Code of Practice, which outlines how these decisions should be approached in everyday care.
The Mental Health Act 1983, meanwhile, governs circumstances where individuals with mental disorders can be treated without consent. Similar principles apply in Scotland under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 and the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and in Northern Ireland, where the Mental Capacity Act (NI) 2016 facilitates a unified approach to mental capacity and mental health.
One of the most influential legal cases in recent years is Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board [2015], which reshaped the doctor’s duty regarding consent. It established that doctors must ensure patients are aware of any material risks involved in a proposed treatment, as well as any reasonable alternatives.
Other cases reinforce this principle. In Thefaut v Johnston [2017], a surgeon was found to have fallen short by providing incomplete and overly optimistic information about surgery. The court emphasised that patients need adequate time, space, and clarity—free from jargon—to make informed choices.
The GMC’s stance is equally clear when patients refuse treatment. Provided the patient has capacity, their decision must be respected—even if the refusal may result in death. The cases of Re B (2002) and King’s College Hospital NHS Trust v C (2015) make it plain: choosing unwisely is not the same as lacking capacity.
Doctors must also tread carefully when treating patients who lack capacity. Courts expect proper weight to be given to the person’s values, beliefs, and expressed wishes, even if they cannot fully articulate them. The Wye Valley NHS Trust v B (2015) ruling confirmed this emphasis on respecting the individual, not just the clinical outcome.
Ultimately, the GMC guidance on consent and decision-making is about more than legal compliance—it’s about trust. Informed consent fosters partnership, empowers patients, and ensures care is not only clinically sound, but ethically robust.
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