Whistleblowing concerns continue to provide a route into GMC fitness to practise investigations

Overview 

• The GMC received 52 whistleblowing disclosures in 2025/26, up from 45 the previous year.
• Most disclosures were reviewed by the GMC’s fitness to practise team.
• Concerns included professional misconduct, dishonesty, and staffing issues.
• Doctors and other healthcare professionals accounted for most whistleblowing reports.
• The data highlights whistleblowing’s continuing role as a gateway into GMC fitness to practise investigations and assessments.

New figures published by the General Medical Council (GMC) show an increase in whistleblowing disclosures during 2025/26, underlining the important role that concerns raised by colleagues and healthcare professionals continue to play in the regulator’s fitness to practise processes.

The GMC received 52 whistleblowing disclosures between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, up from 45 in the previous reporting year, although still below the 60 disclosures recorded in 2023/24.

While the numbers are significantly lower than those reported by some other healthcare regulators, the latest data demonstrates that whistleblowing remains an important source of intelligence for the GMC, particularly where concerns relate to patient safety, professional misconduct, or dishonesty.

Most concerns reviewed by fitness to practise teams

Of the 52 disclosures received during the reporting period, 47 were reviewed by the GMC’s fitness to practise team. The remaining five were handled by the regulator’s registration and revalidation function.

However, unlike the GDC’s approach, a whistleblowing disclosure does not automatically result in a formal fitness to practise investigation.

Of the 47 concerns reviewed by the fitness to practise team:

• 45 were closed following initial assessment.
• One progressed to a preliminary investigation.
• One progressed to a full investigation.

The GMC states that concerns may be closed where matters have already been dealt with locally, where no regulatory concern is identified from the information provided, or where the issue falls outside the regulator’s remit.

Who is raising concerns?

The report shows that whistleblowing disclosures continue to come from a variety of sources across healthcare.

Of the 52 disclosures received:

• 19 were made by doctors.
• 15 were made by other healthcare professionals.
• 18 were submitted anonymously.

The proportion of anonymous disclosures remains notable, accounting for more than one-third of all concerns raised with the regulator.

The GMC’s data also highlights that concerns frequently originate from colleagues working alongside doctors, reinforcing the fact that professional behaviour and workplace practices are often scrutinised by those within the healthcare system itself.

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What concerns are being reported?

According to the GMC, disclosures covered a range of issues, including:

• staffing structures;
• professional misconduct; and
• individual dishonesty.

Although the regulator does not provide a detailed breakdown of allegations, the themes reported are significant because they extend beyond clinical competence alone.

Many doctors continue to associate fitness to practise risk primarily with patient care concerns. However, the GMC’s whistleblowing data suggests concerns regarding integrity, conduct, professionalism and workplace culture remain important triggers for regulatory scrutiny.

Comparing 2025 and 2026

The year-on-year figures reveal some notable shifts.

In 2024/25, the GMC received 45 whistleblowing disclosures. Of the 44 reviewed by fitness to practise teams, eight progressed to either a preliminary or full investigation.

In contrast, 2025/26 saw a rise in disclosures to 52, but only two progressed beyond initial assessment at the time of reporting.

The figures illustrate that while whistleblowing disclosures can be an important gateway into the GMC’s regulatory processes, many concerns do not ultimately meet the threshold for a full fitness to practise investigation.

Lessons for doctors

For doctors, the report offers several important reminders.

First, concerns raised by colleagues continue to be a significant source of information reaching the GMC. Doctors should assume that serious concerns regarding patient safety, honesty or professional conduct may be escalated beyond local management processes.

Second, whistleblowing concerns are not confined to clinical treatment. Allegations involving professional behaviour, governance, organisational culture and integrity can all attract regulatory attention.

Third, while most disclosures do not result in a full investigation, every concern submitted to the regulator is assessed and considered. Responding appropriately to workplace concerns at an early stage may reduce the risk of issues escalating into regulatory matters.

A continuing source of fitness to practise intelligence

The GMC’s latest whistleblowing figures show that disclosures remain a key source of information about potential risks to patients and public confidence in the profession. Although relatively few concerns progressed to investigation in 2025/26, whistleblowing continues to provide a direct route into the GMC’s fitness to practise assessment process.

For doctors, the message is straightforward: concerns raised by colleagues, healthcare professionals and workplace contacts can quickly move beyond local processes and into regulatory scrutiny. Maintaining high professional standards, addressing concerns promptly and fostering a culture where issues can be resolved appropriately remain important safeguards against fitness to practise risk.