Modern slavery and human trafficking statement
Introduction
Building on measures taken in previous years this statement sets out our actions to identify the potential modern slavery risks related to our business and the steps we have taken to make sure, as far as possible, that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our business and our supply chains. This statement relates to the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.
As a public sector body, the GMC recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking and is absolutely committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking in its corporate activities, and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.
Organisational purpose and structure
We’re the independent regulator of doctors, physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) in the UK. We work them and other stakeholders to:
- set the standards of patient care and professional behaviours doctors, PAs and AAs need to meet.
- make sure doctors, PAs and AAs get the education they need to deliver good, safe patient care.
- check who is eligible to work as a doctor, PA or AA in the UK and work with them and their employers to confirm they’re keeping up to date and meeting the professional standards we set.
- give guidance and advice to help doctors, PAs and AAs understand what’s expected of them.
- investigate where there are concerns that patient safety, or the public’s confidence in doctors, PAs or AAs may be at risk, and take action if needed.
Our mandate is set out from the Medical Act 1983 and the Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order (AAPAO).
The GMC is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089278) and Scotland (SC037750).
Our governing body, the Council, is currently made up of 12 members, six lay and six registrant, all appointed through an independent appointments process.
The GMC has two major centres, one in London and two in Manchester. We also have smaller offices in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and a significant number of staff who work remotely and in the health service. These sites accommodate approximately 1,700 full and part-time staff across eight directorates, which are:
- Registration and Revalidation
- Fitness to Practise
- Resources
- Education and Standards
- Strategy and Policy
- Strategic Communication and Engagement
- Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service
- Corporate.
Modern slavery and human trafficking policy
We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to make sure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own businesses or those of our suppliers.
The nature of our business means that the risk of modern slavery in our directly managed business activities and the first line of our supply chain is low. We require all our suppliers to have robust anti-slavery and human trafficking arrangements in place.
If a supplier is found to be accepting of slavery in their business or supply chain, we will terminate the contract and notify the relevant authorities.
Our approach is detailed further in the GMC Modern Slavery Policy
Actions taken in 2025
In 2025 we utilised a series of steps to mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking occurring within our organisation and supply chains:
- All staff received guidance explaining what modern slavery is, how to identify it, and how to log concerns. This includes a section on modern slavery in our mandatory safeguarding training.
- All recruited permanent and temporary staff are subject to identification and background checking.
- We have living wage accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
- We continued to discuss Modern Slavery policy with our suppliers through our contract management processes.
- All contracts on standard GMC terms and conditions included clauses that place obligations on suppliers to apply the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in their business and supply chains, enabling the GMC to assure ourselves of their compliance with the legislation.
- Suppliers were advised of how to log concerns with the GMC that Modern slavery or human trafficking activity was occurring in our organisation or supply chain by our Raising Concerns Policy.
- We implemented a risk-based approach to assuring us suitable interventions are in place to prevent the risk of modern slavery in our supply chain at the start of contracts.
- An audit group of representatives from key teams across the GMC reviewed if there were any suppliers that required further intervention activity to reasonably assure us that steps were being taken to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking in their operations. This included checking that modern slavery statements were in place. It was determined that given the nature of our supply chain, current measures were appropriate for all cases, but this will be regularly reviewed.
- Social value is used as an evaluation criterion for all FTS tenders.
