This article explains who your Responsible Officer (RO) is during postgraduate medical training, how Responsible Officers support the revalidation process, and which Designated Body is responsible for your training programme.

Who this is for

Postgraduate doctors in training who need to understand their Responsible Officer arrangements and Designated Body responsibilities for revalidation.

What you need to know

Your Responsible Officer (RO), as a postgraduate trainee, will be the Postgraduate Dean responsible for managing your training programme. This is based on the geographical location where your training programme is managed.

Some Pan-London training programmes have a single Responsible Officer assigned to the programme - please see the attached file with information on this. 

The Responsible Officer Regulations give specified senior doctors (Responsible Officers) within designated organisations (Designated Bodies) responsibilities that help ensure doctors work within a managed environment where performance, conduct and behaviour are monitored against agreed national standards.

You do not need to contact your Responsible Officer directly regarding revalidation. The Health Education Team manages revalidation activities on behalf of the Responsible Officer.

Further information

A Designated Body is the organisation responsible for supporting the revalidation process for doctors connected to that organisation.

Your Responsible Officer oversees the recommendation process for revalidation in line with the Responsible Officer Regulations.

What to do

1. Identify the geographical area responsible for managing your training programme.
2. Use the table below to find the relevant Designated Body and Responsible Officer.
3. Contact the Health Education Team if you have any questions about your revalidation or Responsible Officer arrangements.
4. Use the GMC Online tool to connect to the correct Designated Body

If this doesn’t work

If you are unsure which Designated Body or Responsible Officer applies to your training programme, contact the Health Education Team using the revalidation email address listed above.

Who to contact

For revalidation queries and Responsible Officer information, contact the Health Education Team:

• england.revalidation.lase@nhs.net

What HET can and can’t help with

HET can help with

• Questions about postgraduate trainee revalidation.
• Confirmation of your Responsible Officer.
• Guidance on Designated Body arrangements.
• Revalidation administration and support.

HET cannot help with

• Requests that require direct contact with a Responsible Officer where routine revalidation support is managed by the Health Education Team.
• Matters outside postgraduate trainee revalidation arrangements.

Related articles

• ARCP: What it is and how to prepare
• Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT): Overview and timelines

Last reviewed

Last reviewed: 17 September 2026