GMC announces launch date for doctors’ licences

The GMC has announced the launch date of a milestone in medical regulation. From 16 November, all doctors will need a licence in order to practise medicine in the UK.

The GMC has announced the launch date of a milestone in medical regulation.  From 16 November, all doctors will need a licence in order to practise medicine in the UK.

Currently, to practise medicine in the UK, a doctor has to be registered with the GMC. But from 16 November, all doctors will need a licence in addition to their GMC registration to undertake any form of medical practice in the UK, including, but not limited to, writing prescriptions, holding a post as a doctor in the NHS, and signing death and cremation certificates.

Since 20 April 2009, the GMC has been contacting all doctors on its register to find out whether they wish to take a licence.  Some doctors, such as academics or researchers, won’t need a licence to practise and are therefore choosing to hold registration without a licence.

GMC Chair Professor Peter Rubin said: “We have received a good response to the licensing campaign, having asked 225,000 doctors whether they want a licence to practise.  So far, almost 50% of doctors have responded, with the vast majority choosing to take a licence.

“The introduction of the licence is the first step towards a new system called revalidation, the process through which doctors will be asked periodically to demonstrate that they are up to date and fit to practise in the job they do.

“Licensing is a major milestone. The next stage is to implement revalidation.  Once we have the results back from the pilots we will be in a position to draw together a more coherent revalidation timetable.”

The GMC has produced a guide, Revalidation: Information for Doctors and Frequently Asked Questions, which aims to answer doctors’ queries about revalidation.  The guide can be accessed at www.gmc-uk.org/revalidation