What happens if we investigate your concern

Concerns about doctors

Once our investigation is complete, we’ll do one of the following: 

Decide no further action is required

In some cases, we’ll decide we don’t need to take any action against a doctor. This will only happen when we feel the doctor has made a great effort to make sure they won’t make the mistake again and they don’t pose a risk to patient safety. 

Issue a warning to the doctor

This is when we agree that a doctor’s behaviour or actions fall below the standard we expect of them, but restricting their practice isn’t necessary. 

Agree undertakings

In this case we’ll ask the doctor to sign up to an agreement to improve the way they work. This may include carrying out specific training or working under supervision. 

Refer them to a tribunal

We can ask the MPTS to carry out a hearing to decide whether to restrict or remove a doctor’s right to practise in the UK.

Ask us to review a decision about a doctor

If you’ve already raised a concern about a doctor’s fitness to practise but you don’t think we’ve reached the right decision or you have new information to provide, you can ask us to review our decision under our internal review process (‘Rule 12’). 

Concerns about PAs and AAs

You can find out more about the process we follow when a concern is raised about a PA or AA.

If we find that a PA or AA’s fitness to practise is not impaired, we might:

Decide no further action is required

In some cases, we’ll decide we don’t need to take any action against a PA or AA. 

Issue a warning

This is when we agree that a PA or AA’s behaviour or actions fall below the standard we expect of them, but restricting their practice isn’t necessary.

If we find that a PA or AA’s fitness to practise is impaired, we might:

Agree to restrict their registration

We’ll consider what restrictive action is required to protect the public, and ask the PA or AA to agree to these measures. We might propose to put conditions on their registration, which restricts what they are allowed to do, suspend their registration for a set period of time, or remove them from our registers. 

Refer them to a tribunal 

If we are unable to reach an agreement with the PA or AA, we can ask the MPTS to carry out a hearing to decide what action should be taken.

Ask us to revise decision about a PA or AA

If you don’t think we’ve reached the right decision, you can ask us to revise a PA or AA decision. We can only revise a decision when:

• the applicable grounds for revision are met
• the request is received within a relevant time period. 

We will only consider an out-of-time request if it is in the public interest.

Complete the revision request form

Refer to your decision letter from the GMC to check the decision type. Use the relevant form to send us a revision request. The form includes instructions. 

• Revision request form: decision not to refer a concern to case examiners
• Revision request form: case examiner decisions.

You may also find it helpful to read the below guidance:

• Decision making guidance for ADMs in the Corporate Review Team on using powers delegated to them to revise certain decisions relating to a PA or AA
• Decision making guidance for case examiners on using powers delegated to them to revise certain decisions relating to a PA or AA.

Request an internal appeal if you’re a PA or AA

If you’re a PA or AA affected by a decision, you can’t request a revision. If you don’t think we’ve reached the right decision, you may be able to request an internal appeal.