Regulating doctors, ensuring good medical practice

GMC seeks views on new proposals to GP and specialist registration

Press Release

27 Mar 2012

The General Medical Council is seeking views on the way doctors are assessed for inclusion on the GP and specialist registers.

A new model for evaluating the competence and performance of doctors who have not followed a GMC approved training programme but who wish to demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for GP or specialist registration has been set out in a consultation.

The proposals are particularly relevant to Staff and Associate Specialists (SAS) doctors already practising in the UK, as well as doctors who have not previously worked in the UK.

Niall Dickson, the Chief Executive of the General Medical Council said:

‘We are proposing changes to the way some doctors apply for GP and specialist registration and to how we evaluate a doctor’s practise and their knowledge. We really want to hear views on our ideas.’

The GMC is particularly interested to hear views on how specialist knowledge can be demonstrated, whether through a formal examination or in some other way.

The GMC recognises the current system was not well understood by employers and, from commissioned research into the perception of the equivalence routes, was distrusted by some doctors.

Notes to Editors

1. The consultation on the routes to the General Practitioner and Specialist Registers runs from 15 March to 15 June and the outcome will be published in the autumn 2012.

2. Doctors who have not been through a GMC approved GP or specialist training programme can gain specialist or GP registration through the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) and Certificate of Eligibility for General Practice Registration (CEGPR). Doctors who have completed an approved training programme are awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).

3. A copy of the research commissioned to support a recent review of the equivalence route can be read here: http://www.gmc-uk.org/about/research/research_commissioned.asp

4. The review of the current application process found it to be onerous and too reliant on documentary evidence of past experience, knowledge and skills rather than on robust peer evaluation of contemporary performance.

The GMC Media Relations Office can be contacted on 020 7189 5454, out of hours 020 7189 5444/ 07920 461497, email press@gmc-uk.org, website www.gmc-uk.org.

The General Medical Council registers and licenses doctors to practise medicine in the UK.

The law gives us four main functions:

  • 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