Doctors have “no confidence” in the GMC or MPTS and have called for both organisations’ leadership teams to be dismissed.

A motion passed at the BMA’s annual representative meeting in Liverpool on 4 July said that “too many MPTS fitness to practise decisions are disproportionate to the error of the doctors mistake.” It highlighted 29 deaths during GMC investigations in 2022, five of which were confirmed to be suicide.

The representatives also called for improved access to mental wellbeing support during regulatory investigations, citing the GMC’s own report on deaths during investigations which found that 29 doctors died while under GMC investigation or monitoring over a three-year period since January 2018.

Proposing the motion, Dr Samuel Parker, from the BMA’s North East regional council, said: ‘There’s a huge personal burden resulting from GMC investigations and MPTS decisions appear disproportionate.

‘The impact of doctors on GMC investigations is harrowing – a recent MPS survey of GPs under GMC investigation found 78% believed it had a detrimental impact to their mental wellbeing. Nearly half contemplated quitting medicine and over 40% felt suicidal.’

He also said that there has been ‘no improvement but a continued decline’ in the ‘unacceptable’ treatment of ‘dedicated’ medical colleagues during GMC investigations.

Dr Parker added: ‘There is no reason why the GMC cannot function communicating with doctors more compassionately.’

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