When a referral or self-referral does and doesn’t need to be made

When a referral or self-referral needs to be made

Sometimes, doctors are referred to us, or need to refer themselves, because of a health condition. We only need to be made aware of your health condition if it poses a risk to patients.

But where a health condition may be a contributory factor to other concerns about your fitness to practise that pose a risk to patients, or public confidence in the profession, we need to consider the impact. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll need to take action in relation to the health condition itself.

We know that deciding to take action on your health, and how it’s affecting your fitness to practise, can be very difficult. If you need further advice about whether to make a self-referral, please get in touch with our contact centre on 0161 923 6602.

Is your health condition something we need to know about?

We'll need to consider the impact of your health condition if you are working, or are likely to work, and:

• there are, or have been, serious concerns about the quality of care you’ve provided, and your health condition may have been a contributory factor.
• the nature of your health condition may affect your conduct or the care you provide and
• you are not seeking or following treatment and advice, or
• you are not engaging with local support and steps put in place to manage any risks to patients.
• your health condition has only recently been diagnosed, is not well controlled, and it’s too soon to know if risks to patients can be appropriately managed by you seeking and following treatment and advice, or engaging with local support and steps to manage risk.

When a referral or self-referral doesn’t need to be made

A referral or self-referral doesn’t need to be made about your health condition if:

• there aren’t any concerns about your conduct, and
• there is no risk relating to the care you provide, and
• you are not working or likely to work. Or, if working, you are seeking and following treatment and advice, and taking steps to manage any potential risk to patients.

How to make a self-referral

If you need to refer yourself to us because of a health condition the quickest and easiest way is to complete our online self-referral form.

However, you can also complete a self-referral form and return it to us by email (to practise@gmc-uk.org) or by post to:

Fitness to Practise Directorate,
General Medical Council,
3 Hardman Street,
Manchester,
M3 3AW.

Once we receive your form, we’ll review the information you’ve provided and decide what steps to take.

We aim to make our decision and write to you within seven days of receiving your self-referral, but this can sometimes take longer.

We’ll deal with the information you provide us with as sensitively as we can. This includes getting expert advice where we need to, and dealing with it confidentially.