GMC Fitness to Practice Procedure revised
17/10/2005
Thank you for all your time and excellent work and rest assured that if myself or family or friends require any legal help in the future I will refer them to yourselves.
Michael, Crawley
From 17 October this year, the GMC is intending to refer the majority of complaints they receive about doctors who work in the NHS to their "employers", either a Primary Care Trust or other NHS Trust, so they can be investigated under NHS complaints procedures. Only if the investigations throw up concerns about the doctor's fitness to practice, will the GMC begin their own investigation.
The GMC believe most complaints about doctors, even if proven, do not call into question the doctor's fitness to practice or are sufficiently serious to warrant action being taken about their registration. It is therefore felt such complaints would be better dealt with by the NHS and the Healthcare Commission so systemic rather than individual difficulties can be identified and tackled at a local level.
Serious allegations
If the allegations against a particular doctor are sufficiently serious, the GMC will investigate in the first instance, but they believe such cases will be few and far between. Doctors working in a private capacity or as peripatetic locums will continue to be investigated under the fitness to practice procedures.
Any queries about the new procedures should be directed to the GMC helpline on 0161 923 6424. A leaflet and FAQ about the changes can be found on www.gmc-uk.org
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