Regulating doctors, ensuring good medical practice

Historic change at the GMC

Press Release

22 Nov 2012

The General Medical Council (GMC) has today confirmed the make-up of its new smaller Council in an historic move for the 154-year old organisation.

The move to a smaller Council is an historic change and will play a critical role in setting out a clear vision and direction for the GMC at a time of great change for doctors and patients.

Professor Sir Peter Rubin, Chair of the GMC

The appointments are part of a series of reforms to the GMC’s Council which was 104-strong just over 10 years ago and marks a major milestone in reforming medical regulation in the UK.

In 2003, the Council was reduced from 104 to 35 members and was reduced again to 24 members in 2009.

The current Council of 24 established the principles of independent appointment and having an equal number of medical and non-medical (lay) members.

From January 2013, the Council will be reduced in size to 12 members and will be led by its Chair Professor Sir Peter Rubin, who himself became the GMC’s first appointed Chair since the regulator was established in 1858.

The new appointments were made after a robust selection process led by Sir Peter and three other experienced assessors, independent of both the GMC and government.

The GMC is the independent regulator of the UK’s 250,000 doctors.

The GMC controls entry to the Medical Register; regulates all stages of medical education; sets standards of practice and takes firm but fair action where those high standards have not been met. The role of the Council is to set high level strategy and hold the executive to account for delivering that strategy.

Professor Sir Peter Rubin said: ‘The move to a smaller Council is an historic change and will play a critical role in setting out a clear vision and direction for the GMC at a time of great change for doctors and patients.’

‘The current Council has delivered a range of major initiatives to protect patients and improve the quality of healthcare, including major reforms to our fitness to practice work, the establishment of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and perhaps most significantly, the introduction of revalidation, which starts in December.’

‘I am really looking forward to working with my new colleagues as we continue to make our contribution to improving medical education and practice across the UK.’

The GMC’s Council appointments have been confirmed by the Privy Council.  

The new Council will start its term of office on 1 January 2013.  

Notes to Editors:

1. For further information please contact the Media Relations Office on 020 7189 5454, out of hours 020 7189 5444/07920 461497, press@gmc-uk.org, www.gmc-uk.org.  

2. The Privy Council has approved the following appointments, recommended by the selection panel chaired by Professor Sir Peter Rubin:  

  • Dr Shree Datta
  • Lady Christine Eames
  • Professor Michael Farthing
  • Baroness Helene Hayman
  • Lord Ajay Kakkar
  • Professor Jim McKillop
  • Professor Deirdre Kelly
  • Dame Suzi Leather
  • Dame Denise Platt
  • Mrs Enid Rowlands
  • Dr Hamish Wilson  

Read the biographical information of the Council Members (pdf).  

3. The Council is the governing body of the GMC. It is responsible for the overall control of the organisation. It ensures that the GMC is properly managed and that the organisation fulfils its statutory and charitable purposes to protect and promote the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. It has an equal number of medical and non-medical (lay) members and includes at least one person who lives or works wholly or mainly in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  

4. Changes to the GMC’s Council:  

  • In 2003, the GMC’s Council was reduced from 104 members to 35.
  • The Council was reconstituted again on 1 January 2009, membership was reduced to 24. The Council of 24 established the principles of independent appointment.
  • The Government’s Command Paper Enabling Excellence – Autonomy and Accountability for Healthcare Workers, Social Workers and Social Care Workers (February 2011), included the aim to simplify regulators’ governance arrangements, focusing Councils on strategy and the management of their executives, with smaller more ‘board-like’ structures.
  • The Department of Health conducted a consultation on proposed amendments to the GMC (and General Dental Council) constitution orders in the early part of 2012, publishing its consultation report on 1 August 2012.
  • From 1 January 2013, the Council will be reduced in size again to 12 members. It will have six medical members and six non-medical (lay) members including at least one member working or living wholly or mainly in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

5. 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