Features: From here to December
The GMC's Business Plan for 2010.
29 January 2010
The GMC's plans for 2010.
The GMC Business Plan 2010 was published in January and sets out an important programme of work for the year ahead.
An ambitious programme of work for 2010 has been published in the GMC’s business plan. The plan, which was agreed by the GMC’s Council in December, sets out the work we will deliver over the next 12 months.
Moving forward with revalidation
Progress towards revalidation will be a key objective for the year with the GMC conducting a major consultation with doctors and employers on a number of aspects of revalidation (see page opposite) as well as supporting a continuing programme of revalidation pilot projects across the UK.
Also among our objectives for the year ahead is the publication of new guidance on end of life care. The GMC’s consultation on end of life care closed in July 2009 since when the opinions, advice and feedback from patients, doctors and employers have been analysed and collated to develop the new guidance. This year too we will be working with medical schools and employers on the implementation of the standards and outcomes in Tomorrow's Doctors 2009 – the updated guidance for medical education published last year – to ensure all those involved in medical education are ready to implement the new standards from 2011.
Among other priority projects, the GMC’s standards team will issue revised guidance on video and audio recordings of patients; review our Management for Doctors guidance; and begin a review of Good Medical Practice (for further details on the Standards Team’s plans for the year see page 10). The year will also see quality assurance reviews of basic medical education carried out at two medical schools and of foundation training at eight postgraduate deaneries.
Changing responsibilities
Perhaps the biggest project for the year will be to complete the merger of PMETB with the GMC. From April onwards, all stages of medical education and training will be regulated by one body, the GMC. We will also be developing and consulting on a new fee structure following the merger.
During 2010, the GMC will also be working with the Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator to prepare for the transfer of the GMC's adjudication function to the new body in 2011, as described in the November issue.
Managing costs
In 2010, we will continue our programme of improvements in economy, efficiency and effectiveness aiming to improve our performance compared to 2009.
Since 2003, the GMC has undertaken a significant programme of efficiency savings including: transferring the majority of the GMC's fitness to practise and registration activities to Manchester; increasing the capacity of the in-house legal team; and improving the utilisation of hearing rooms in adjudication.
However, the budget for 2010 needs to accommodate a significant increase in fitness to practise caseloads as the rate of referrals has risen steadily over the last two years. The GMC’s Director of Fitness to Practise, Paul Philip, said: ‘Our costs will increase by £2.2 million (5%) in 2010, compared to the 2009 forecast. Caseload has increased significantly and it is inevitable that costs will also increase if we are to maintain current performance standards, despite the range of efficiency measures that we have put in place.’
The drivers for the increased referral rate appear to be a rise in the number of more serious cases brought to our attention by ‘persons acting in a public capacity’, mainly NHS bodies. In 2009, we assessed an average of 130 cases per month of this type-compared to 109 cases per month in 2008.
Annual Retention Fee 2010/11
To ensure effective delivery of the business plan, fully registered and licensed doctors will pay an additional £10 for registration, taking the total annual cost to £420. The increase will take effect from 1 April 2010.
The cost of provisional registration will rise by £5 from £140 to £145. Registration without a licence will remain at £145. From 1 April 2010, the threshold for eligibility for the lower income discount of 50% will be £22,190.
Professor Peter Rubin, Chair of the GMC, said: ‘Doctors must have confidence that their regulator can deliver a high quality service at a reasonable cost. The modest increase in the annual retention fee is a prudent and sensible decision at this time.’
The GMC’s 2010 Business Plan and Corporate Strategy 2010-2013 can be read online in the publications section.