General Medical Council Oversight Mechanisms 2024-04-23
2024-04-23
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about the adequacy of current governance and oversight for the General Medical Council.
What assessment has been made of the adequacy of oversight mechanisms for the General Medical Council?
The General Medical Council has been constituted by Parliament to ensure that decisions about individual doctors are independent of both the profession and the Government of the day. The Professional Standards Authority oversees the work of all United Kingdom professional regulators and reports to Parliament on their operational performance. Parliament continues to set and oversee the principles and scope of the regulators' powers.
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Assessment & feedback
The adequacy assessment was not specifically addressed, focusing instead on existing mechanisms.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Concerns about transparency in the General Medical Council's decision-making processes, particularly regarding appeal mechanisms.
Good governance means ensuring transparency. One concern of my constituents is whether GMC decisions can be appealed. Will the Minister reassure me that we can have better transparency in the GMC on the decisions it makes?
The GMC and other professional regulators have a statutory duty to investigate any concerns about the fitness to practice of one of their registrants and to take appropriate action to protect the public when that is needed. The regulators are overseen by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, which has the power to appeal cases where, in its view, a sanction imposed by a regulator is insufficient to protect the public.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific reassurances about transparency were not provided, focusing on existing oversight and appeals mechanisms instead.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Concerns about time constraints on GP appointments and their ability to meet GMC standards of care.
The GMC has seven principles of decision making and consent. How will the Minister ensure that GPs can fulfil their obligations when time constraints on appointments mean they do not have time to listen to every complaint? People have to book a double appointment to talk about more than one issue. What further support can the Government give GPs to enable them to fulfil their GMC-ordered standards of care?
As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Government have committed to delivering 50 million more GP appointments and to making it easier throughout the country to see a doctor. In England in December, we delivered 25.77 million GP appointments compared with 23.31 million in December 2019—an increase of 2.46 million appointments each month. We need to continue to work with programmes such as Pharmacy First, and we are taking other steps to reduce the pressure on GPs so that they have more time to spend with their patients.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific support for meeting GMC standards was not directly addressed, focusing instead on appointment increases.
Response accuracy