Recruitment begins for new GMC Chair

The General Medical Council (GMC) has opened its recruitment campaign for a new Chair to lead its Council. Applications are open from 16 November until 13 December to both lay and medical candidates, across the four countries of the UK.

The new Chair will be Dame Clare Marx’s successor, who stepped down from her role as Chair of GMC Council earlier this year, following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen has held the role of acting Chair since July.

The successful candidate will join at a critical point for the GMC’s 2021-25 strategy, helping it become a more effective and compassionate regulator for patients, the public and doctors; and, in the future, physician associates and anaesthesia associates.

They’ll have a key role to play in the GMC’s efforts to support the development of a more sustainable medical workforce, and in enabling supportive, inclusive healthcare environments that deliver safe patient care across all four countries of the UK. They’ll also lead the GMC’s response to the UK government’s reform of healthcare professional regulation, and the legislation which underpins it.

The Chair’s role is to provide leadership to the GMC’s Council, and working closely with the Chief Executive and the senior management team. They will also engage with leaders of the medical profession, patient groups and governments in all four UK countries, acting as an ambassador for the GMC.

As UK health services emerge from the pandemic – and what has been a very difficult period for patients and medical professionals alike – the GMC is looking for someone with high personal credibility, strong diplomatic skills and the ability to build and manage effective relationships.

The successful applicant will champion the regulator’s work to address inequality, embrace diversity and support inclusion within the UK’s healthcare systems. This builds on the GMC’s recent programme of ambitious targets to address disproportionate fitness to practise referrals and unfairness in medical education and training.

The GMC is taking steps to make sure it attracts a diverse group of candidates for the role. This includes targeted communications to engage with underrepresented groups, appointing a diverse interview panel and ensuring both the long and shortlists are diverse before proceeding to interviews.

The recruitment process will follow guidelines set out by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) - Good practice in making council appointments - providing assurance that any appointment remains fair and transparent. All stages of this process will be managed by an external agency, Gatenby Sanderson.

The selection panel is made up of three current members of the GMC’s Council and two individuals independent of the GMC. They are responsible for making recommendations for appointment to the Privy Council. The Privy Council then makes the final decision.

There is more information about the role and application process on the Gatenby Sanderson website.