Regulating doctors, ensuring good medical practice

Helping you to raise concerns

We have launched a new helpline and online tool to support doctors in taking action if they believe patients are at risk.

‘Being willing to speak up when things are not right is not always easy but it is at the heart of medical professionalism,’ said Niall Dickson, the GMC’s Chief Executive.

‘Often doctors are worried about the implications of raising a concern, whether it is about policies and procedures or about a colleague. We hope these two new services will give doctors the confidence to act whenever the care of patients is an issue.’

Confidential helpline

Our new helpline allows doctors to raise concerns or ask for advice if they do not feel able to do so locally. It is staffed by specially trained advisers who can discuss concerns and advise who to speak to if, for example, the concern isn’t about another doctor.  

You can call the helpline on 0161 923 6399. Lines are open from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.  

Online tool

Our new online tool guides doctors through the process of raising concerns. It sets out what you need to do if you are worried about issues including the conduct of colleagues, the systems in place or staff shortages.  

It also includes case studies illustrating a range of situations, from  incidents you can tackle yourself to more challenging situations that need the involvement of a regulator or other external body.  

The helpline and online tool follow the publication of our guidance on Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety published last year.  

Comments

5 comments

Kamaria prescod (23 days ago)

Colleagues, I think we should be fair and this new revamped service from GMC is in somewhat pilot stages.Let us be fair. this is a promising service that can be hurt with a snowball effect of negative comments. If we do give feedback it should be constructive.
Be aware, GMC can guide us as doctors in our own behaviour but other organisations are also responsible in the chain in raising concerns, CQC, BMA, MPS and many other organisation have been signposted to specifically help us with problems with the quality of care.
Think about it , 5 years ago this service was not available and we had to pay more money for GMc registration? not so? so aren't we seeing now a step to more help now for us as doctors to do our jobs?

Dr.Amparo Gata Diaz (1 month ago)

I also believe that on some occasions a doctor can make allegations against a colleague in order to discredit or damage or obtained a secondary gain.
In those cases the GMC doesn't seem so concern about doctors accusing other colleagues falsely and by then the effect and the damage to the investigated doctor is done and irreversible.
Also when a doctor is working in a terrible system where doctors are scapegoated. GMC doesn't seem to do anything else other that investigating that doctor.
It seems to me that there is a lack of fairness.I thought that the GMC was there to protect patients and also to protect doctors against other doctors and against difficult conditions at work ,however that is not the case.


GMC moderator (1 month ago)

Ammar Haydar - thanks for your comment.

We can't comment on the outcome of individual calls, but the helpline's role is to assess each case and advise in the best course of action.

Depending on the circumstances, that may be to refer the caller to another organisation such as Public Concerns at Work, when we feel they are best placed to provide help and support.

Vito Del Deo (1 month ago)

I think this service will prove to be supportive especially when raising a concern about patient safety will mean to confront not just an individual but the mentality of many who belive otherwise. It is obviously difficult to face a situation when colleagues are involved and actions must be taken to protect patients, as much as the colleagues career.

ammar haydar (1 month ago)

I phoned the help line in realtion to a complaint about a doctor, the gmc was not able to address the complaint todayand referred me to another organisation. i expected the advisor to listen to the complaint and then manage it accordingly