Our guidance for decision-makers

We have developed guidance for our decision-makers. The guidance below is for decision-makers at the investigation stage.

Please note these documents are published on the website to aid lawyers and medical defence organisations who are familiar with the GMC's procedures for dealing with complaints.

• Guidance for case examiners and the Investigation Committee (pdf)
• The meaning of fitness to practise (pdf)
• The realistic prospect test (pdf)
• Examples of the types of case where failure to meet standards may lead to action on registration (pdf)
• Guidance on convictions, cautions and determinations (pdf)
• Guidance on single clinical incidents (pdf)
• Guidance on voluntary erasure (pdf)
• Guidance on cancellation of referrals under rule 28 (pdf)
• Guidance on referral to an Interim Orders Panel (pdf)
• Guidance on Undertakings  (pdf)
• Revocation of undertakings agreed under rule 10 - Supplementary guidance for Case Examiners (pdf)
• Guidance on insight when considering whether undertakings are appropriate (pdf)
• Guidance on insight — academic research into the different ways people from different cultures acknowledge fault (pdf) 
• Guidance on dealing with breaches of undertakings & criteria referral to a FtP Panel (pdf)
• Guidance on Warnings (pdf)
• Guidance for decision makers on assessing risk in health cases (pdf)
• Guidance for the Investigation Committee and case examiners when considering allegations about a doctor's involvement in encouraging or assisting suicide (pdf)

Guidance for fitness to practise and interim orders panels

 For further information on the guidance that Fitness to Practise and Interim Orders Panels use to help them reach their decisions about cases that are referred to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) for a hearing, please visit the Guidance page on the MPTS website.