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This article presents a case study of an innovative course requested, funded and designed by the West London Social Work Teaching Partnership (WLSWTP). Due to difficulties in recruiting social workers across these local authorities, the graduate certificate in social care recognised and developed the skills of the current local social care workforce, many of whom were already undertaking roles previously undertaken only by social workers. Many social care workers were unable to access social work qualification routes because they were not in a position to study independently or did not have the required qualifications for bursaried programmes at universities or through fast-track providers. The delivery of a graduate certificate in social care, over one academic year, one day a week, offered the opportunity for social care workers across adult's and children's services to provide evidence of their ability to study at degree level. Those students completing at a 2:1 level met the academic entry requirements for the MSc course at one of the partner universities and one fast track route. The case study outlines the course development, curriculum design and preliminary findings from an ongoing evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the training practices for the profession of accounting in England and Wales. There are four professional organizations in Wales and England that influence training for accounting and they are: the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants, the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants, and the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants. There are chartered accountants and certified accountants with 50% of those chartered and 35% of certified employed as partners or employees of firms in public practice.

The audit series investigated how rates of Certification of Visual Impairment (CVI) at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT) performed when compared against Public Health England (PHE) indices. Our aim was to assess whether CVI rates could be improved by promoting clinician awareness.We collected CVI data for Sight Impairment (SI) and Severe Sight Impairment (SSI) from a prospective MS Excel database maintained at RCHT for all certifications between 1 August 2014 and 31 July 2016. Annual local certification rates were compared to regional and national rates using data from Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) for glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and diabetic eye disease.We found that overall rates of certification were above both those of the South West region and England; however, certifications for ARMD and glaucoma fell below the regional and national rates. Reasons for this may include variations in ethnicity, introduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents, and/or the potential delay in CVI completion while under treatment for ARMD.We concluded that raising awareness among clinicians did not prove a satisfactory intervention to improve certification rates. In response to these findings, RCHT and a local charity, iSight Cornwall, have jointly funded an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) to enhance the certification process. This is expected to deliver immediate service improvement. Considerable overlap in dual diagnoses presents a problem in interpretation of CVI data, which could be targeted by the implementation of electronic certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute care common stem acute medicine (ACCS AM) training was designed to develop competent multi-skilled acute physicians to manage patients with multimorbidity from 'door to discharge' in an era of increasing acute hospital admissions. Recent surveys by the Royal College of Physicians have suggested that acute medical specialties are proving less attractive to trainees. However, data on the career pathways taken by trainees completing core acute medical training has been lacking. Using London as a region with a 100% fill rate for its ACCS AM training programme, this study showed only 14% of trainees go on to higher specialty training in acute internal medicine and a further 10% to pursue higher medical specialty training with dual accreditation with internal medicine. 16% of trainees switched from ACCS AM to emergency medicine or anaesthetics during core ACCS training, and intensive care medicine proved to be the most popular career choice for ACCS AM trainees (21%). The ACCS AM training programme therefore does not appear to be providing what it was set out to do and this paper discusses the potential causes and effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The general practice (GP) workforce in England is in crisis, with declining morale and job satisfaction, increasing early retirement and declining interest in training to become a GP. We recently reported on factors that are influencing this, with appraisal and revalidation emerging as an unexpected finding; 28.6 % of GPs stating an intention to leave general practice within the next 5 years included this as 'very important' or 'important' to their decision. In this study we undertook a secondary analysis to identify how the experience of appraisal and revalidation might be influencing intentions to leave general practice. Methods: Qualitative analysis of free text comments made by GPs in a survey of career intentions. All comments that included mention of appraisal or revalidation were extracted. Emergent themes were identified and a coding framework devised. Results: Forty-two participants made comments that related to appraisal and revalidation. Compared to all 1192 participants who completed the main survey, they were older (76.2 % compared to 46.2 % aged 50 years and older), with more years' general practice experience (80.0 % compared to 48.0 % with >20 years' experience) and more likely to state an intention to retire within 5 years (72.2 % compared to 41.9 %). Key themes were appraisal and revalidation as: a bureaucratic, inflexible exercise that added to an already pressured workload; an activity that has little educational value, relevance to professional development or quality of care; and an issue that contributes to low morale, work-related distress and intentions to leave general practice. Revalidation was depicted as a cumbersome tick-box exercise that had little to do with quality of care or protecting patients. There were no comments that countered these negative views. Conclusions: While the representativeness of these comments to the experience of GPs as a whole cannot be judged, it is likely that that they reflect the concerns of GPs whose experience of appraisal and revalidation is influencing their intention to leave general practice. Through its impact on GP morale and burnout, the current appraisal and revalidation system in England appears to be contributing to the workforce crisis. The findings indicate that the appraisal system may be in urgent need of re-design to increase its relevance to individual GPs' experience and seniority, clinical activities being undertaken and professional development needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined preservice teachers' (PSTs) knowledge of basic language constructs across four different English-speaking teacher preparations programs. A standardized survey was administered to participants from Canada (n = 80), England (n = 55), New Zealand (n = 26), and the USA (n = 118). All participants were enrolled in undergraduate university programs that led to teacher certification for general education in the primary grades. Our data reveal that preservice teachers from all four countries show patterns of relative strength in areas that were targeted to be crucial within their national initiatives. Nevertheless, in general, PSTs demonstrated a lack of knowledge of certain constructs needed to teach early reading skills. The results are discussed in relation to research reports and initiatives regarding beginning reading instruction from each of the four countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Back pain is a common problem and has significant societal impact. Sickness certification is commonly issued to patients consulting their general practitioner with low back pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of certification for low back pain with clinical outcomes and cost consequences. Methods A prospective cohort study using linked questionnaire and medical record data from 806 low back pain patients in 8 UK general practices: comparison of 116 (14.4 %) who received a sickness certificate versus 690 who did not receive certification. The primary clinical measure was the Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). Data on back pain consultation and work absenteeism were used to calculate healthcare and societal costs. Results Participants issued a sickness certificate had higher back-related disability at baseline consultation and 6-month follow-up [mean difference 3.1 (95 % CI 1.8, 4.4) on the RMDQ], indicating worse health status. After fully adjusting for baseline differences, most changes in clinical outcomes at 6 months were not significantly different between study groups. Productivity losses were significantly higher for the certification group, with most absence occurring after the expected end of certification; mean difference in costs due to absenteeism over 6 months was £1,956 (95 % CI £941, £3040). Conclusions There was no clear evidence of a difference in clinical outcomes between individuals issued a sickness certificate and those not issued a certification for their back pain. With little overall contrast in clinical outcomes, policy makers and care providers may wish to draw on the likely difference in societal costs alongside issues in ethical and moral care in their consideration of patient care for low back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World-wide, shortages of primary care physicians and an increased demand for services have provided the impetus for delivering team-based primary care. The diversity of the primary care workforce is increasing to include a wider range of health professionals such as nurse practitioners, registered nurses and other clinical staff members. Although this development is observed internationally, skill mix in the primary care team and the speed of progress to deliver team-based care differs across countries. This work aims to provide an overview of education, tasks and remuneration of nurses and other primary care team members in six OECD countries. Based on a framework of team organization across the care continuum, six national experts compare skill-mix, education and training, tasks and remuneration of health professionals within primary care teams in the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Germany and the Netherlands. Nurses are the main non-physician health professional working along with doctors in most countries although types and roles in primary care vary considerably between countries. However, the number of allied health professionals and support workers, such as medical assistants, working in primary care is increasing. Shifting from ‘task delegation’ to ‘team care’ is a global trend but limited by traditional role concepts, legal frameworks and reimbursement schemes. In general, remuneration follows the complexity of medical tasks taken over by each profession. Clear definitions of each team-member’s role may facilitate optimally shared responsibility for patient care within primary care teams. Skill mix changes in primary care may help to maintain access to primary care and quality of care delivery. Learning from experiences in other countries may inspire policy makers and researchers to work on efficient and effective teams care models worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine variability across England in certification rates for age related macular degeneration (AMD) between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2012. Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An electronic version of the CVI, the ECVI, was used at the Certifications Office, London, to transfer information from paper based certificates into a database. The electronic certifications data set was queried for all certificates completed in England between April 1st 2011 and March 31st 2012 with the main cause of certifiable visual loss being AMD or with the main cause of certifiable visual loss being multiple pathology but a contributory cause being AMD. Data were explored by type of AMD, visual status, age and sex and then directly standardized rates were computed by English region. Results: The Certifications Office received 23,616 CVIs for England between April 2011 and March 2012, of which 10,481 (44%) were people certified severely sight-impaired (blind) (SSI) and 12,689 (54%) were certified as sight-impaired (partial sight) (SI). The remainder did not have visual status classified. AMD contributed to 11546 causes of certification on the CVI forms during this period, 53% of forms being for geographic atrophy (GA)/dry AMD which is currently mostly untreatable. The median (interquartile) age at certification for AMD was 86 (81, 90) years and women were more commonly certified than men (66%). Considerable variability was seen across English regions, although there was consistency in that GA was the more common form in all areas. Conclusions: There is considerable regional variability in CVI rates in England, which are not attributable to differences in age or sex. Reasons for such variability need examination yet this should not undermine the value of these data in terms of describing those newly registered with sight impairment due to AMD who are predominantly female and over 85 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the key elements of a personal development plan (PDP) template. It notes the inclusion of development planning theories such as the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) Analysis, and the setting of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, evaluated and reviewed (SMARTer) objectives. It also explains the application of the goal, reality, opportunities, what next (GROW) model into the continuing professional development (CPD) plan.

Background Appraisal, or independent performance review (IPR) is used in human resources management in the commercial and public sectors to evaluate the performance of an employee against agreed local organisational expectations and objectives, and to identify their requirements for development and effective management. IPR for NHS consultants may provide essential information for job planning, contribute towards medical appraisal for revalidation, and facilitate productivity and quality improvement. Aims To develop a framework for IPR for consultants, and to determine attitudes on its value, process and content. Method Information from commercial, public and voluntary sector models and published and other literature sources were used to develop an IPR framework. This was assessed through a three-cycle action research methodology involving qualitative interviews with 22 consultants (predominantly with medical management roles). Results The domains of the IPR framework included: (1) performance against objectives; (2) behaviour and leadership; (3) talent management; (4) agreed future objectives. A number of themes were identified from the consultant interviews including: ineffective current appraisal systems reflecting a lack of valid performance data and allotted time; a lack of empowerment of medical managers to address performance issues; IPR as a more explicit system, offering value in evaluating doctors performance; and the dependence of successful implementation on the engagement of the Trust executive. Conclusions IPR may have value for performance evaluation of consultants, contributing toward job planning and complementing medical appraisal. Support by their employing organisation and engagement with medical managers in design and implementation is likely to be essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses aspects of the process of developing ‘functional’ assessments of mathematics at the end of compulsory schooling in England. A protocol that was developed for scrutinising assessment items is presented. This protocol includes an indicator of the ‘authenticity’ of each assessment item. The data are drawn from scrutiny of 589 assessment items from thirty-nine formal unseen examinations taken by students aged sixteen, and the article illustrates ways that mathematics is presented in different contexts in examinations. We suggest that currently the ‘human face’ of the questions may serve to disguise routine calculations, and we argue that, in formal examinations, connections between mathematics assessments situated in context and functional mathematics have yet to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate trends in visual impairment certification due to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in the Leeds metropolitan area between 2005 and 2010.MethodsIn this retrospective study, the primary causes of visual impairment certification in the Leeds metropolitan area between 2005 and 2010 were reviewed. ARMD was considered to be the cause of certification when recorded as the primary factor contributing to visual impairment in one or both eyes. The incidence of visual impairment certification due to ARMD was calculated using population estimates from the Office of National Statistics.ResultsARMD was the primary cause of visual impairment certification in all study years, accounting for 58.7 and 50.8% of certifications in 2005 and 2010, respectively. For the same period, the incidence of certification due to ARMD fell from 364 to 248 per million population per year. This was largely the result of a fall in the incidence of visual impairment certification due to neovascular ARMD from 225 to 137 per million population per year, beginning in 2008 after the introduction of a local commissioning policy on the use of intra-vitreal ranibizumab.ConclusionThe incidence of visual impairment certification due to ARMD in the Leeds metropolitan area appears to be falling. This is largely the result of a decrease in certification secondary to neovascular ARMD. This represents a change in the previously described trend for ARMD visual impairment certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including nutrition and health claims, nutritional science and practice, and sugar providing calories.

The increasing movement of social workers from one country to another, especially with the expansion of the European Union, appears likely to pose a number of challenges to host countries in terms of receiving, supporting and developing social workers who trained in other countries. This paper explores the provision of a post-qualifying ‘consolidation’ module to a group of 15 internationally qualified social workers and evaluates both the student experience and the cultural challenges faced by individual social workers who came to practise in England after qualifying in their home countries. These social workers undertook the module at the University of Greenwich in London, England, and were selected for this as a part of a project with two London boroughs. Factors which have an important influence on successful ‘settlement’ into a new role and culture are discussed and analysed. It is argued that the provision of post-qualifying training can be a key part of the acculturation process but timing and other factors need to be considered. The paper explores what was learned from the project and its evaluation about the experiences and support needs of internationally qualified social workers. The project took place in 2007–2008 and was evaluated by students, the teaching team, stakeholders from services and service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen considerable increases in the number of internationally-qualified social workers in England. This article presents trends in the international labour mobility of social workers migrating to work in England alongside information on the supply of UK-trained social workers. It concludes that demographic changes and policy imperatives have accentuated structural issues making it difficult to ensure an adequate supply in the number of domestically-trained social workers. We suggest that more cross-national research is needed to achieve a better understanding of the factors influencing social workers’ decisions to work in international settings and the extent to which this reflects permanent or temporary migration between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports the perspectives of male trainees on mechanisms instituted to support them during their Post-Graduate Certificate of Education in Early Years and Primary Education in England. The male trainees were interviewed towards the end of their training, using semi-structured interviews that provided scope for pursuing several lines of enquiry around their experiences as males on the course. In this paper the authors examine specifically the male trainees’ responses to innovations in Faculty support for male trainees, rather than focusing on their broader experiences as males in primary education. The authors are thus concerned to interpret and understand the trainees’ perspectives on how support mechanisms did, or did not, ensure a more positive training experience. Most prominent amongst these mechanisms, in this pilot year, was the formation of a male-only support group. The findings support the idea that, for these trainees at least, focused meetings addressing the concerns of men in primary schools can help to support their development and sense of ‘belonging’ on a course where females are overwhelmingly dominant in numerical terms. The reported success of this initiative was, in the view of the trainees, strongly reliant on the active involvement of practising male teachers and the directly relevant foci of the meetings, determined by the trainees and invited teachers. The presence of a designated male member of the Faculty staff was also viewed positively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Revalidation for UK doctors is expected to be introduced from late 2012. For general practitioners (GPs), this entails collecting supporting information to be submitted and assessed in a revalidation portfolio every five years. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of GPs working in secure environments to collect supporting information for the Royal College of General Practitioners' (RCGP) proposed revalidation portfolio. Methods: We invited GPs working in secure environments in England to submit items of supporting information collected during the previous 12 months using criteria and standards required for the proposed RCGP revalidation portfolio and complete a GP issues log. Initial focus groups and initial and follow-up semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews were held to explore GPs' views of this process. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and identifying themes respectively. Results: Of the 50 GPs who consented to participate in the study, 20 submitted a portfolio. Thirty-eight GPs participated in an initial interview, nine took part in a follow-up interview and 17 completed a GP issues log. GPs reported difficulty in collecting supporting information for valid patient feedback, full-cycle clinical audits and evidence for their extended practice role(s) as sessional practitioners in the high population turnover custodial environment. Peripatetic practitioners experienced more difficulty than their institution based counterparts collating this evidence. Conclusions: GPs working in secure environments may experience difficulties in collecting the newer types of supporting information for the proposed RCGP revalidation portfolio primarily due to their employment status within a non-medical environment and characteristics of the detainee population. Increased support from secure environment service commissioners and employers will be a prerequisite for these practitioners to enable them to re-license using the RCGP revalidation proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the collaboration between Sheffield Hallam University and an International IT Consulting organisation to develop an innovative postgraduate curriculum that combines intensive, vendor-specific certification training together with a challenging enquiry-focused educational experience. Employers prefer to 'benchmark' potential applicants against industry certification standards, yet also desire the qualities of a postgraduate's enquiring mind. Using research and 'open enquiry' as principle values, a curriculum has been created that facilitates exploration of a wide range of practical and theoretical topics in order to support the development of a highly skilled, autonomous 'Technical Consultant'. A key aspect of this approach is to provide guidance for learners to explore their own development paths, whilst also exposing them to an established vendor specific platform in order to gain sufficient practical experience before seeking employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) conference held at Manchester Central in England on November 17-18, 2015. Topics include health and social care challenges, the role of community practitioners, and social media as a professional networking tool. House of Lords Shadow Deputy Leader Philip Hunt, Dr Raymond Jankowski of Public Health England, and United general secretary Len McCluskey were among the speakers.

The article focuses on the accreditation scheme for health library services in England and Wales. It was determined that the use of an accreditation scheme for health library services can be an effective method to develop positive changes that improve access to the knowledge domain of health care for health care personnel. Organizations which are in charge in the library services for the National Health Service (NHS) should also adopt or maintain its use. However, in the survey on the assessment accreditation of NHS library services, it showed at least 15 percent positive perceptions for the accreditation.

A retrospective analysis of applicants to Specialist Registrar training posts in anaesthesia in the Wessex Region of the UK was undertaken. For doctors with a primary medical qualification from outside the European Economic Area, the median time since obtaining that qualification was 12.0 yr compared with 6.0 yr for doctors qualifying within it (P = 0.0001, U-test). Thirteen out of 89 (15%) doctors whose primary medical qualification was from outside the European Economic Area and 39 out of 61 (64%) doctors whose primary medical qualification was from within it were shortlisted for interview (P = 0.0001, x2-test). Six out of 13 (46%) shortlisted doctors from outside the European Economic Area were appointed at interview compared with 24 out of 39 (62%) shortlisted doctors who qualified within it (P = 0.33, x2-test). In the Wessex Region of the UK, applicants whose primary medical qualification is obtained within the European Economic Area are approximately four times as likely to be shortlisted than doctors qualifying outside it. However, after shortlisting, both categories are equally likely to be successful at interview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issues surrounding the Department of Science and Art's Certificate of competency in photography issued to Arthur Vipond in England on March 25, 1858. According to the author, the certificate was only issued to members of the Columbia Detachment of Royal Engineers which Vipond was never known to be a member. On the other hand, the obituary of Vipond indicated that he emigrated to British Columbia with the Royal Engineers and worked in the construction of the Cariboo Road in 1858-1859 under the supervision of the Royal Engineers. Moreover, historians inferred that he could have been a member of the British component of the North American Boundary Commission as one of the two anonymous photographers who documented the 49th parallel survey.

The article discusses the impact of the medical appraisal and revalidation on the patient care system in Great Britain. It is mentioned that medical appraisal was implemented on all the doctors in the country form December 2012, earlier it was used on the National Health Services. Also, the appraisal and revalidation can help in increasing the quality of medical care provided to the patients by introducing professional development of the doctors.

The article looks at how a qualification in dental radiography in Great Britain can boost the career of a dental nurse as well as the profit of a dental practice, and mentions the Certificate in Dental Radiography offered at dental agency Tempdent.

Background: The Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) provides essential data for preventable sight loss indicators as part of the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) published annually by the Department of Health. Trends in CVI certification rates can provide information on the effectiveness of current services and treatments and may be used to guide allocation of resources, and is the only such indicator within ophthalmology. This study aimed to compare recent trends in new vision impairment certifications in 2017/18 against prior baseline data in England and document trends in new certifications in Wales., Methods: PHOF data from 2010/11 and 2017/18 were examined with respect to preventable sight loss indicators: age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (Indicator E12a), glaucoma (Indicator E12b), diabetic eye disease (Indicator E12c) as well as the total numbers of certifications (Indicator E12d)., Results: In 2017/18, the rate of new CVI certifications was 41 per 100,000 population which has reduced from 43/100,000 in 2010/11 in England. Certifications for AMD reduced from 132/100,000 in 2010/11 to 107/100,000 in 2017-18. Certifications for glaucoma have remained stable at 13/100,000 in 2017/8. Certifications for diabetic eye disease have declined from 4/100,000 in 2010/11 to 3/ 100,000 in 2017/18. The number of vision impaired individuals that each Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has to support varies from 8 to 82 per 100,000 population., Conclusions: There has been a significant decrease in the rate of all CVI certifications particularly from AMD and diabetic retinopathy. However, maintaining this will require changes in the way care is delivered as the elderly population, which is at greatest risk of preventable sight loss, is projected to increase by 50% over the next 20 years. Inherited retinal diseases are now the leading cause of sight loss in the working age population. CVI data demonstrate the need for CCGs to tailor their investment in ophthalmic services to the needs of their specific patient populations. It is important that all ophthalmologists continue to provide accurate CVI data in order to help support the future equitable allocation of adequate resources to reduce avoidable vision loss.

Personal narratives are presented with regard to the experiences of three healthcare professionals in relation to the medical revalidation implemented by the government of Great Britain.

The article discusses concerns among learning disability nurses on Lord Willis's Share of Caring in Great Britain as of July 2016. Willis has recommended improved education and training for the nursing and care professions which Health Education England (HEE) has accepted. However, they fear that it will not address training gaps and improve care for people with learning disabilities.

The article discusses the important aspects of revalidation as part of the continuing professional development (CPD) of nurses in Great Britain. Topics covered include the minimum of 20 hours participatory requirement, the post-registration education and practice (prep), and the nursing journals published by the Royal College of Nursing Institute (RCNi) that can help with revalidation.

Emeritus professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses the crisis in neonatal-unit staffing highlighted in a new report by the charity Bliss [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the decision-making process for medical reporting of deaths to a coroner and the statutory basis for coronial decisions whether to investigate. It analyses what is published about the consistency of decision making of coroners and discusses what should be the legal basis for determining whether a particular death is natural or unnatural in English law. There is a review of English case law, including the significance of Touche and Benton and the development of 'unnatural' as a term of art, which informs what the courts have held to be an unnatural death. What case law indicates about multiple causes and the significance of the wording in the Coroners & Justice Act 2009 that triggers an investigation are considered. It highlights the importance of considering the medical cause of death and to what extent information other than the initial death report is required, before making the decision that the coroner's duty to open an investigation is triggered. The article concludes that a two-stage test is required. Firstly, is the cause of death medically unnatural? Secondly, whether the circumstances themselves are unnatural or such as to make a medically natural cause of death unnatural. If the coroner has reason to suspect the medical cause of death is unnatural per se the statutory duty to investigate will be engaged, regardless of the circumstances., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press; All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The article focuses on proposals by the British Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) that would implement robust systems to ensure midwives and nurses are appropriately revalidated so to ensure patient protection. It states revalidation provides a method for midwives and nurses to demonstrate they are meeting professional obligations and are fit to practice. It mentions that the NMC launched a public consultation and presents the web address for an online survey at http://tinyurl.com/ngl4q6c.