Nick Jones
GCC Chief Executive and Registrar
What the GMC reform consultation is proposing
The Department of Health and Social Care, alongside their equivalent in Scotland, is currently consulting on a new legislative framework for the General Medical Council –
The General Medical Council Order 2026
.
Their stated intention is that this will form the “template” legislation for the reform of all the health professional regulators – next up will be the NMC, then HCPC, and then, though not during this Parliament, the smaller regulators, which includes the GCC.
You don’t need a particularly long memory to think “haven’t we been here before?”. It was only three years ago, in February 2023, that I was encouraging registrants to respond to the draft bill that became
The Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order 2024
.
The proposed DHSC bill will replace that Act, along with much of the Medical Act 1983. We will be responding to the new consultation, and I urge you to too, but I want to share what the bill means for us and you, when you would likely see any changes, and what we are doing in the meantime.
What the proposal could mean
As a result of the proposal, the DHSC expects:
- Regulators would be more flexible in setting their own rules. While the regulator would need to consult on any rule change, the new model would allow more agility in responding to changes in the profession.
- Regulators to use their discretion in resolving concerns about professionals, allowing faster and less adversarial processes where appropriate.
- Regulators to have more flexibility over recognising education routes, recognising both courses and providers as appropriate.
- Simplification of the register – in the case of the GMC it would create a single register, doing away with the separate medical licence, for all professionals they regulate.
What this means for the GCC
These are all laudable objectives, and reform of our regulation is something we have been requesting for a very long time. However, the reality is that implementing any change for the GCC will be a very long way off – our legislation change would not be until the next Parliament, currently expected to start in 2029, and I am realistic that we are not top of the list.
Even once our own Act comes into force, any change to our rules will need to be drawn up, consulted on and implemented.
So – while we will be responding to the consultation, and considering the long term implications for the GCC – we cannot wait for 2035.
Making progress now
Our
2026-2030 Strategy
challenges us to be bolder. To actively explore test and challenge the boundaries of our existing legal framework and develop policies and processes that meet the needs of modern regulation.
Alongside responding to this consultation, our focus remains firmly on making progress within our existing framework. This includes continuing to develop our approach to early resolution of concerns and complaints, ongoing work to strengthen and modernise our registration processes, and the review of our CPD model to ensure it supports safe, effective practice in a way that is proportionate and meaningful.
Together, this work reflects our commitment to practical delivery and continuous improvement in how we regulate.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 June 2026.
