For the first time since World War II, the UK health services have faced a monumental crisis.
In this extraordinary year, our purpose – to support doctors and to keep patients safe – guided us in all our decision, actions and priorities.
Increasing the medical workforce available to tackle COVID-19
Between April and June 2020, we restored 34,837 doctors to a licence or registration with a licence and we awarded provision registration to 6,868 UK graduates.
Several of our colleagues also returned to clinical practice to help the response.
Providing practical support to doctors and patients
Our coronavirus online guidance hub was accessed over 87,000 times between April and December 2020.
We regularly reviewed the information and updated it in response to doctors' and patients' needs.
Easing the pressure on doctors and responsible officers
To support the response to the pandemic, we deferred revalidation for over 60,000 doctors, enabling them to fully focus on frontline delivery.
We also paused fitness to practise investigations where there was no immediate patient safety risk.
Playing our part in protecting medical training
Working with partners, we approved derogations to 77 curricula and changes to 108 exams in 2020.
We also approved around 550 additional training locations, including the Nightingale hospitals.
Considering extraordinary circumstances consistently and fairly
The pandemic meant that doctors have had to work differently. We issued new guidance to reassure doctors that we would take the unprecedented context into account when reviewing fitness to practise concerns.
Transforming the way we work
Most of our work has moved online.
Our virtual Welcome to UK practice sessions have proven popular with over 3,700 doctors attending and consistently giving positive feedback.
Thank you
In the face immense challenge, people pulled together.
We'd like to thank healthcare professionals for their dedication, professionalism and compassion throughout this incredibly challenging time.
