Safeguarding statement
Our role
We work with doctors, patients, and other stakeholders to support good, safe patient care across the UK. We set the standards doctors and those who train them need to meet and help them achieve them. If there are concerns these standards may not be met or that public confidence in doctors may be at risk, we can investigate, and take action if needed.
We also have a responsibility to have robust arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk. This responsibility lies with everyone who works at the GMC or is working on behalf of the GMC.
Our approach to safeguarding applies to anyone we come into contact with including patients, members of the public, doctors and our colleagues.
It considers Charity Commission guidance on safeguarding as well as statutory guidance and legislation across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is about protecting the rights of adults and children to live in safety and free from harm, abuse, and neglect.
All organisations that work with or come into contact with children and adults at risk should have safeguarding policies and procedures in place. Setting up and following good safeguarding policies and procedures helps to reduce the likelihood of harm occurring to children and adults at risk.
Our commitment
Safeguarding is the responsibility of everybody at the GMC. Everybody who works with and for us will be able to recognise safeguarding concerns and report them in a timely manner.
Our policy and procedures are supported by our training strategy. Our aim is to create a culture where everyone can recognise, record and report safeguarding concerns and they're supported throughout.
Acting on potential harm to doctors, patients and members of the public
Through our regulatory activities, we may come into contact with those who are vulnerable, including doctors, patients and members of the public.
If we receive information that a child or adult at risk may be harmed, we may decide to share this information with the relevant local authority or police, with the sole purpose of protecting them. If we believe that an adult or child is at immediate risk of harm, self-harm, or suicide then we will contact the emergency services.
We also have guidance and procedures if we need to make a referral to the DBS/Disclosure Scotland.
Where the actions of a doctor may have caused harm, abuse or neglect to someone, we will also consider whether we need to investigate as part of our concerns process.
Acting on potential harm to colleagues and those who work with us
We have policies that make clear our aim to provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for all our colleagues, so they are safe and supported at work. These include our:
- Health and safety policy
- Dignity at work policy
- Bullying and harassment policy
If we receive a safeguarding concern about any other registered professional that we employ, we will share this information with the relevant regulator to consider.
How to raise a safeguarding concern
You can raise a safeguarding concern about a GMC member of staff by contacting us at gmc@gmc-uk.org.
If you have a concern about a doctor’s behaviour, health or performance, read our concerns about doctors guidance. It includes details on the type of concerns we can investigate, and the actions we can take to protect public safety and confidence in doctors.
For general safeguarding queries or for information on our safeguarding policy, email safeguarding@gmc-uk.org.
We'll review this information and our safeguarding policy annually to make sure it remains fit for purpose.
