Hearings and decisions
In the Hearings and decisions section you can access information on the following.
Adjudication
Adjudication is when a doctor appears before the GMC to answer allegations. Read about our adjudication procedures and how they relate to our investigation procedures in our introduction to adjudication page.
Interim Orders Panel
Our Interim Orders Panel may make an order suspending a doctor's registration or imposing conditions upon a doctor's registration – prior to the doctor appearing to answer the full allegations. Read about the Interim Orders Panel.
Fitness to Practise Panel
Our Fitness to Practise Panels hear the full allegations against doctors, decide whether they are substantiated and if so, what sanctions are appropriate, if any. Read about our Fitness to Practise Panels.
Decisions
You can access the decisions of our Interim Order Panels and Fitness to Practise Panels in our Decisions section.
Sanctions Guidance (information for lawyers and others)
Our sanctions guidance used by Fitness to Practise Panels is available on our Sanctions Guidance page. This information is most likely to be of interest for lawyers.
Case Management Working Group Report
View the Case Management Working Group Report (385kb, pdf)
GMC Case Management Procedures (214kb, pdf)
View the Drafting Allegations Working Group Report (53kb, pdf)
Guidance on charge drafting for notices of hearing (71kb, pdf)
Adjudication reform
In July 2011 the GMC's Council approved plans to establish the new Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). The establishment of the MPTS is a key part of the GMC's plans to reform its adjudication work following the government’s decision to abolish the Office for Healthcare Professional Adjudicator (OHPA). The reforms will introduce an even greater separation between the GMC’s investigation work and fitness to practise hearings.
His Honour Judge David Pearl has been appointed as the Chair of the new MPTS that will manage all fitness to practise hearings for doctors from summer 2012.
Read the GMC's press release annoucing the appointment of the Chair of the MPTS.