A recent GMC study has found that public confidence in doctors and the way that doctors are regulated remains high.

The GMC has published survey data and research from patients, healthcare bodies and doctors which will be used as a baseline to measure the impact of its corporate strategy:

• Supporting doctors in delivering good medical practice for patients
• Strengthening collaboration with regulatory partners
• Strengthening our relationship with the public and profession

The research, undertaken in August and September 2018, shows that public confidence in doctors and the way that doctors are regulated remains high, although confidence in the GMC among the profession reduced over the last year following a number of high profile cases including Jack Adcock and Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba.

The study also found that most stakeholders and Responsible Officers (senior doctors in organisations who make recommendations about doctors’ revalidation) felt that the GMC takes early action to protect patients, addresses the right type of concerns and deals appropriately with complaints.

Paul Buckley, Director of Strategy and Policy for the GMC, said: ‘It’s vital that we listen to the profession in order to improve their working lives and patient safety. This survey was conducted following a number of significant events for the medical workforce, and it is clear that doctors’ feeling are reflected in the response. We are determined to rebuild relationships with the profession to support doctors in delivering high quality patient care, which is central to our corporate strategy.

‘There are a wide range of factors which contribute to doctors’ experience of their career, regulation and the health system, including many beyond our immediate control like availability of funding. But that should not prevent us from taking steps, both as an individual organisation and in partnership with others, to make a positive difference to patient and doctor safety.’