Steep rise in GMC FTP panels

25 May 2010

Nearly a third more fitness to practice panel hearings were conducted by the GMC in the year 2009 compared to 2008, according to statistics published last week on the GMC website.

A total of 270 fitness to practise panel hearings took place in 2009 compared with 204 in 2008. The GMC attributes the steep rise to an increase in the number of enquiries made from the NHS, police and other public authorities, which have risen steadily since 2006. "Referrals from these groups are likely to be more serious and therefore more likely to progress through to a public hearing," says a GMC statement.

Erasures have increased even more with 68 doctors struck off the Medical Register at FTP hearings in 2009 compared to 42 in 2008. A further 15 doctors were erased at review hearings meaning that a total of 85 doctors were erased in 2009. The most common allegation resulting in erasure in 2009 related to improper relationships with patients.

Paul Philip, Director of Standards and Fitness to Practise, said: "We are seeing an increasing number of referrals to our fitness to practise procedures from employers and other public authorities like the police but the reasons for this are not entirely clear. What is clear is that although there has been an increase in the number of cases the overall numbers represent a very small proportion of the 230,000 registered doctors in the UK."

Link: 2009 Fitness to Practise Statistics and the supplementary fact sheets