The General Medical Council (GMC) is an key organisation in the UK that maintains the official register of doctors practicing medicine in the UK. They also provide support and guidance with education and training, including support for International Medical Graduates and set the standards of Good Medical Practice in the UK.
Any doctor wishing to practice medicine independently in the UK must have full registration with the GMC. Please refer to the GMC’s guidance on Full Registration for International Medical Graduates for more details on how to do this. You can click on the I am Ready to Apply link when you are ready to start you application.
Doctors aspiring to practice in the UK are strongly encouraged to fully understand the Good Medical Practice (GMP)framework as set out by the GMC (General Medical Council). GMP describes what it means to be a good doctor. Please visit the GMC website for a comprehensive description at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/good-medical-practice. You can also find this guidance bought to life with helpful clinical scenarios at GMP in Action.
The GMP framework consists of four domains which cover the full spectrum of medical practice. They are:
1. Knowledge, skills and development
2. Patients, partnership and communication
3. Colleagues, culture and safety
4. Trust and professionalism
In turn, each domain has further sub-headings:
1.1 Being competent
1.2 Providing good clinical care
1.3 Maintaining, developing and improving your performance
1.4 Managing resources effectively and sustainably
2.1 Treating patients fairly and respecting their rights
2.2 Treating patients with kindness, courtesy and respect
2.3 Supporting patients to make decisions about treatment and care
2.4 Sharing information with patients
2.5 Communicating with those close to a patient
2.6 Caring for the whole patient
2.7 Safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of harm
2.8 Helping in emergencies
2.9 Making sure patients who post a risk of harm to others can access appropriate care
2.10 Being open if things go wrong
3.1 Treating colleagues with kindness, courtesy and respect
3.2 Contributing to a positive working and training environment
3.3. Demonstrating leadership behaviours
3.4 Contributing to continuity of care
3.5 Delegating safely and appropriately
3.6 Recording your work clearly, accurately and legibly
3.7 Keeping patients safe
3.8 Responding to safety risks
3.9 Managing risks posed by your health
4.1 Acting with honesty and integrity
4.2 Maintaining professional boundaries
4.3 Communicating as a medical professional
4.4. Managing conflicts of interest
4.5. Cooperating with legal and regulatory requirements
Structured and objective feedback/assessment in the medical profession, often mirrors the same domains in the GMP framework.
The GMP framework also sets out the areas, which are covered in the yearly medical appraisal, and upon which, recommendations to revalidate doctors (every 5 years) will be based. All doctors, unless in a Deanery / Specialty Training Program, will need to undergo a yearly appraisal process (currently through an online portal: https://kingstonhospital.medicalrevalidation.com). Doctors in Speciality/Deanery training program, undergo an ARCP (Annual Review of Competency Progression) instead. Reflection on your current practice around the GMP framework, and how you intend to develop or modify your practice (Personal Development Plan) is desirable. More information about Appraisals/Revalidation can be found in the professional development section of this website.
