The GMC is the regulating body for doctors in the UK, and all doctors practising medicine in the UK must be registered with them.  It functions to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public.  The GMC does this by, among other things:

• keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
• fostering good medical practice
• promoting high standards of medical education and training
• dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt.[2]

The modern role of the GMC is established through legislation by the Medical Act 1983, but the GMC itself has a long history, and was originally brought into being by the Medical Act of 1858.  It co-operates with a wide variety of organisations, including medical, foundation and specialty schools and other health and social care regulators, and bears responsibility for regulating doctors in all four countries of the UK.

In 2013, the GMC updated Good Medical Practice [3], a guide which clearly stipulates the duties of a doctor registered with the General Medical Council.  The document ‘sets out the standards of competence, care and conduct expected of doctors' [4].  It reminds doctors that they themselves are responsible for their professional practice, and that they must always be prepared to justify the decisions they have made and the actions they have taken.  It guides doctors in the best way to make their decisions, providing a reference point for some of the more difficult ones they may have to make.

Good Medical Practice requires, amongst other things, that doctors must:

• Make the care of their patient their first concern;
• Provide a good standard of practice and care;
• Take prompt action if they think that patient safety, dignity or comfort is being compromised;
• Protect and promote the health of patients and the public;
• Treat patients as individuals and respect their dignity;
• Work in partnership with patients;
• Work with colleagues in the ways that best serve patients' interests; 
• Be honest and open and act with integrity;
• Never discriminate unfairly against patients or colleagues;
• Never abuse their patients' trust in them or the public's trust in the profession. [5]

The GMC has developed a series of interactive online case studies, so as to give the guidance in Good Medical Practice context.  It is available at http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/case_studies.asp.

The consequences of not adhering to the principles laid out in Good Medical Practice can be very serious.  All doctors are human, and mistakes do happen from time to time, but repeated or serious failures in meeting the standards set out in Good Medical Practice can impact on a doctor’s registration. 

Questions over fitness to practice are likely to be raised if:

• A doctor’s performance has harmed patients or put patients at risk of harm;
• A doctor has shown a deliberate or reckless disregard of clinical responsibilities towards patients;
• A doctor’s health is compromising patient safety;
• A doctor has abused a patient’s trust or violated a patient’s autonomy or other fundamental rights;
• A doctor has behaved dishonestly, fraudulently or in a way designed to mislead or harm others. [6]

If a complaint is issued against a doctor that raises questions about their fitness to practice, they are likely to be referred to the GMC.  In some cases the GMC may refer the complaint back to the doctor’s employer, but if the GMC believes the complaint is potentially serious they will conduct a thorough investigation themselves.  If the outcome of the investigation indicates that the doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired, the GMC has the power to place restrictions on that doctor’s medical practise, or end their right to practise medicine. 

More information on complaints and the role of the GMC can be found here: http://www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/index.asp.

[1] 'Medical students: professional values and fitness to practise’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/undergraduate/professional_behaviour.asp> [accessed 30 April 2013].

[2]‘The Role of the GMC’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/about/role.asp> [accessed 30 April 2013].

[3] 'Good Medical Practice’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/index.asp> [accessed 30 April 2013].

[4] 'Good Medical Practice (2013)’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/GMP_2013.pdf_51447599.pdf> [accessed 30 April 2013].

[5] ‘Good Medical Practice (2013)’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/GMP_2013.pdf_51447599.pdf> [accessed 30 April 2013].

[6] ‘The Meaning of Fitness to Practise’ in General Medical Council <http://www.gmc-uk.org/the_meaning_of_fitness_to_practise.pdf_25416562.pdf> [accessed 30 April 2013]