Reform regulation through the GMC to put patient safety and fairness first

On 24th March, the Government published intended reforms to the doctors’ regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC). We believe the proposals fail to deliver necessary changes to a system of regulation that is failing doctors and their patients. Instead, we urge the Government to fix the system.

Specifically, reform should ensure that the GMC: legally protects the working titles of doctors, becomes a single-profession regulator for doctors only, has a legal duty of care to the doctors it investigates, applies the criminal standard of proof, cannot appeal medical tribunal determinations, is subject to investigation when complaints are made against it, and returns to a governing body with a majority of members elected by doctors.

The Government’s ‘Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework’ consultation opened on 24 March 2026 and is due to close on 21 July 2026.

The regulatory reforms proposed in the consultation document span the four key areas of regulation: the General Medical Council’s (GMC) governance and operating framework, and its education and training, registration and fitness to practise functions.

As part of this consultation, the Government is seeking views on a range of policy proposals, including: the constitution of the GMC; the GMC’s education and training function; its registration function, including which protected titles should be included within the GMC’s governing legislation; and a modernised fitness to practise process for the GMC, including rights of appeal for individuals, the GMC, and the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.

The Government will respond to the consultation once it has closed and all of the responses have been analysed.

Department of Health and Social Care