Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSDoctors must have licence to practise
Doctors must now have a license to practise, as well as be registered with the General Medical Council, before they can legally treat patients.
The start of licensing this week has been described by the GMC as “the biggest change in medical regulation since the first medical register was published 150 years ago is rolled out”.
The move is the next step on the way to full revalidation, which will see doctors checked on their clinical standards every few years to maintain their registration.
The new licenses give doctors practising in the UK the legal authority to write prescriptions, sign death certificates and exercise a wide range of other legal privileges.
It also means that medical employers must ensure that all doctors – NHS or the independent, permanent or locum – have such a licence if their work requires it.
GMC chair Professor Peter Rubin said: “The successful start to licensing is a major milestone towards the introduction of revalidation, a new process by which doctors will have to regularly demonstrate to the GMC that they remain up to date and fit to practise in the job they do.”
Chief medical officer for England Sir Liam Donaldson added: “This is an important prerequisite for the introduction of revalidation, and a clear signal that revalidation is on its way.”
Online training units, written and reviewed by experts. Earn two hours' CPD and a personalised certificate for your portfolio.
Subscribers get five FREE learning units and non-subscribers can access each learning unit for £10 + VAT.
Share
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment.