Online help tools
This page provides online tools to help you find your designated body and to help doctors without designated bodies.
Designated body tool
This tool is based on rules that are set out in the regulations for responsible officers introduced by the health departments of England and Northern Ireland. These regulations cover the whole of the UK.
Our tool can help you find the type of organisation that is your designated body – such as a primary care organisation or postgraduate deanery. It can’t give you the name of your designated body as this is specific to you and your practice. After you’ve used our tool, you may find it helpful to check our A-Z list of designated bodies.
Please be aware only UK organisations can be designated bodies, because the legal rules that determine this only cover the UK.
Before you get started
If you work in or at more than one organisation, you may find it helpful to:
- make a list of all the organisations that you are employed by, have a contract with (such as practising privileges), or work through (such as a locum agency)
- consider where (and in which organisation) you spend the majority of your practice.
Start using our designated body tool
Doctors without designated bodies
Most doctors have a designated body under the current responsible officer regulations, but some don’t.
If you have used our designated body tool and believe you don’t have a designated body, we want you to tell us using GMC Online.
Please visit the ‘My revalidation’ area in your GMC Online account to confirm you don’t have a designated body. We will ask you for some information about your practice.
Our supplementary online tool provides information and advice to doctors who don’t have a connection to a designated body.
If you need help
If you would like advice on how to use our tool, please contact us.