No - JAG certification is not mandatory to undertake endoscopy and it should not be a requirement for employment. If you are ever challenged on this, please contact us and we can send you a letter to outline JAG's position.
JAG certification is awarded to those trained in the UK in accordance with the JAG standards. As an established independent endoscopist, you are not eligible to apply for certification. JAG certification supports trainees through a training pathway. It is not intended to certify the performance of independent endoscopists. This includes those that were previously trained following the JAG pathway(s) but did not apply for certification prior to becoming independent.
We strongly recommend that all independent endoscopists keep a record of their KPIs and some DOPS to use as proof of competence. If your service has signed you off to undertake training, this will usually be sufficient. For more information, please see the following FAQ on demonstrating your competence when applying for new roles.