Dame Clare Marx has announced that she is stepping down as our Chair following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
'Since receiving this news, I've been reminded once again of the importance and power of kindness in everything we do as doctors.'
PLAB 1 update: releasing places for May, August and November 2024
On Saturday 18 November 2023 at 10am (GMT), we’ll release PLAB 1 places for the following dates across all locations:
- 23 May 2024
- 8 August 2024
- 7 November 2024
PLAB 1 update: releasing places for February & May 2024. On Saturday 18 March 2023 at 10.00am (GMT), we’ll release PLAB 1 places for the following dates across all locations:
- 15 February 2024
- 23 May 2024
PLAB 1 update: releasing places for February and May 2024
On Saturday 24 June 2023 at 10am (BST), we’ll release PLAB 1 places for the following dates across all locations:
- 15 February 2024
- 23 May 2024
PLAB 1 update
On Thursday 14 March 2024, we’ll release PLAB 1 places for 20 February 2025 in all locations
On 12 February 2024, we’ll also make some additional places available for 8 August 2024 and 7 November 2024 in Accra, Islamabad and Karachi. We’re doing this because both
#PLAB
1 update: releasing places for August and November 2023
On Saturday 10 December 2022 at 10.00am (GMT), we’ll release PLAB 1 places for the following dates across all locations:
- 10 August 2023
- 2 November 2023
1/3
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of our former Chair Dame Clare Marx who passed away earlier today. She leaves a profound legacy across the medical profession and health service.
Out today –
@WestM61
& Dame Denise Coia’s independent report into the wellbeing of doctors & medical students.
Find out how the 8 recommendations made in the report will deliver safe, supportive & inclusive cultures across the UK.
(1/2) A judicial review, brought by Dr Matt Kneale and the Good Law Project, will no longer take place. This was agreed on by all parties.
After Dr Kneale asked us to carry out a review of our decision to close concerns he raised about Dr Malhotra, we identified an error for
We’re delighted to welcome
@RaoMala
&
@parthaskar
to our Outreach team, as our new clinical advisers! They’ll work with
@tcgannon
on our programme to help make sure international medical graduates have the induction & support they need & deserve for their careers in the UK.
Update for PLAB candidates: how we’ll release places.
• For PLAB 1, we’ll open places for 2022 in late October. More details will be shared nearer that time
• For PLAB 2, we’ll open places for 2022 in late September. We’ll email candidates more details closer to the release.
We're delighted that as yet unregistered refugee doctors can now play a part in the
#COVID19
pandemic as Medical Support Workers
@NHSEngland
. This will allow drs who've passed an English test (OET/IELTS) to do some clinical tasks under supervision
@refuaid
Today we’ve launched a new resource to help doctors if they face or witness racism in the workplace. It brings together key principles from our guidance, as well as advice from doctors with lived experiences of racism and from healthcare organisations across the UK.
We’ve joined the UK’s Chief Medical Officers and NHS England’s National Medical Director to provide reassurance to doctors in the event of a covid-19 epidemic. Full statement here:
We are distressed by the racially and religiously targeted violence and civil disorder taking place in some of the UK’s towns and cities.
We recognise the significant impact these disgraceful acts will be having on doctors and other staff working in our health services, as well
🚨 Update on
#revalidation
for doctors: if you are due to revalidate before the end of September 2020, this will be deferred for one year. We hope this will support you to prioritise clinical care for patients during the
#coronavirus
#COVID19
pandemic
We’ll soon reopen bookings for PLAB 1 places in 2023, rescheduled from March when technical problems meant we had to pause bookings. Our PLAB1 webpage has more info about how & when we’ll release places, & what you need to do before you can book your test.
We're aware of issues some users are experiencing in accessing our website & GMC Online this morning. We're working to fix this as soon as possible.
We've paused all PLAB bookings during this period & will provide a further update at a later date.
Tomorrow we’ll open our public consultation about the rules, standards and guidance needed to implement the regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).
We know that this consultation will take place during a period of intense debate about the
@rosieICM
@thetimes
3/3: Our Chief Executive has written in
@thetimes
as any type of sexual misconduct is entirely unacceptable and must be dealt with – read more:
We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be restarting PLAB 2 from 13 August 2020. We’ve also made some changes to the evidence required to sit our tests.
Read our update for PLAB 2 here & our update on the evidence required here
Later this month we’ll open bookings for PLAB 1 tests in 2022. To book your place, you need a GMC Online account. If you don’t have one, please set one up as soon as possible – it can take up to two days for us to verify your account.
1/3 Late next year we’ll be welcoming physician associates and anaesthesia associates into regulation. Regulation will help to increase the contribution they can make to UK healthcare, while keeping patients safe.
On 19 September 2023 we emailed all PLAB 1 candidates who are due to receive their results on 21 September 2023. We want to reassure candidates this is a genuine email from the GMC.
Next week we’ll open places for all PLAB 1 tests throughout 2022. We’ll open bookings in different locations over five days from 18 October 2021. Find out which locations will be released on which dates: .
After listening to 1000s of patients, doctors & healthcare organisations in our consultation, we’ve published
#GoodMedicalPractice2024
. Get to know the updated professional standards for UK doctors, before they come into effect on 30 January 2024
Today we’ve emailed PLAB 2 candidates to let them know when they’ll be able to book their test over the coming weeks. Following the work we’ve done this year, we’re delighted that we’re able to offer enough PLAB 2 places in 2022 for all doctors eligible to book.
1/5 We’ve reflected on views shared with us about the GMC reference number given when individuals register with us. We can confirm that PAs & AAs will receive a 7-digit GMC reference number with an alphabetical prefix. We discuss this in our new blog:
After this morning’s roundtable on bullying and harassment, co-chair
@Dr_PhilippaW
reflects on what needs to change in our health services: ‘let’s just try and be a bit more caring about those around us and realise that that’ll help us to care for patients.’
#RespectProtects
Enugu PLAB 1 update: The British Council are unfortunately unable to run the PLAB 1 test in Enugu, Nigeria next Thursday 26 May. We’ll email affected candidates with further details this week with information about booking an alternative place.
PLAB 1 update: we have delayed today’s release by 30 minutes. Please continue to wait in the queue as planned, but be aware that the release will be delayed until 10:30am (GMT). We'll continue to update you here and in the booking system. Thank you for your patience.
@iDrSunny
Hi Sandeep. Unfortunately this reply on our Facebook messenger service isn’t correct. We don’t describe PAs as 'studying medicine' and we're sorry for the confusion this has caused. We have information about what's involved in the education and training of PAs on our website
PLAB 1 update: we’ve needed to delay the release by a further 30 minutes. Please stay in the waiting room. The release should begin at 11.00am (GMT). We'll continue to update you here and in the booking system. Thank you again for your patience.
We're pleased to announce that Dame Carrie MacEwen has been appointed as the new Chair of the GMC.
"I look forward to working collaboratively... to support doctors to provide the best possible care for patients."
Read more about it here👉
PLAB 1 update: Due to technical issues, we’ve stopped today’s PLAB 1 release. We’re extremely sorry for the inconvenience and stress this has caused candidates wishing to book their place in February 2023.
We’ll soon begin opening bookings for PLAB 1 places in 2023. Our PLAB 1 webpage has more information about how and when we’ll release places, and what you need to do before you can book your test:
There are ongoing conversations around the future regulation of PAs & AAs. We recognise there are strong feelings about some issues. In this thread we address some of the key points we’ve heard. (1/8)
(2/2) As soon as we realised this error, we let all parties know.
We'll now review Dr Kneale's request for us to re-assess our decision to close the concerns.
Read our statement:
We’ve partnered with
@NHSEngland
,
@NHS_HealthEdEng
,
@TheBMA
&
@MPS_Medical
to introduce a standardised induction for international medical graduates in England. It’s a vital step to making sure doctors new to the UK are supported to develop their careers.
Today we have responded to the BMA, strongly rejecting the basis on which they have proposed to bring legal proceedings.
You can read our statement on our website -
We value and appreciate the diversity of the medical professionals that we regulate and that includes doctors from a Muslim background.
#IAM2021
is a reminder that we should all be aware of and take responsibility for tackling islamophobia.
We're pleased to announce that Dame Clare Marx has been appointed by the Privy Council as our new Chair, to succeed Prof. Sir Terence Stephenson in January 2019.
PLAB update: Due to high demand, we've released a limited number of extra PLAB 1 places in March & June 2020 for the exams in Lagos & Dhaka.
You can book these now via GMC Online.
We are aware of limited availability in other locations & are doing our best to rectify this.
We’re offering a record number of PLAB2 places next year due to our work over the last 12 months to increase the capacity by opening this temporary centre and running additional tests over weekends. Every candidate eligible to sit PLAB2 will be able to book a place on a test.
Congratulations to all who will graduate from med school in the coming weeks 🎉 We’ll email you between 7 and 9 April to invite you to apply for provisional registration. Find out more in our new guides for
#medstudents
👉
Today we've appointed Dame
@claremarx
to lead an independent review into how manslaughter by gross negligence – and the equivalent offence in the devolved nations – is applied to medical practice
Today we celebrate Dr Agnes Yewande Savage, who joined our register in 1929.
She was the first woman of West African heritage to train & qualify in medicine, earning the Dorothy Gilfillan Memorial Prize for the best female graduate in 1929.
Thanks Dr Savage.
#BlackHistoryMonth
2020 has changed conversations about the contribution that black people make to all aspects of society and the challenges which remain.
We’re proudly celebrating Black History Month & the achievements of black people in medicine.
#BlackHistoryMonth
Tomorrow we’ll reopen bookings for PLAB 1 via GMC Online.
To view availability for each location, you can login to your GMC Online account from 10:00am BST on 16 July.
Thank you for your patience throughout this time & we wish you all the best on your journey to UK practice.
1/ As part of our continued work to support international medical graduates into UK practice, we’ve updated our policy on English language requirements to give candidates more time to register.
Read about our changes.
'From the mentors who encouraged me when being a female surgeon was a rarity, to the medical team who have cared for me over the past days, it is your professionalism, kindness and support that I appreciate and will remember.'
1/ 🇸🇩 Sudan PLAB 1 update.
We’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the PLAB 1 test in Khartoum in November 2021. We’ll be in touch with affected candidates later this week with details of alternative places.
Thank you for your patience.
Today the Court of Appeal has provided their judgment in the case of Dr Bawa-Garba, overturning the previous Divisional Court decision to erase her from the register.
We fully accept the Court of Appeal’s judgment.
#Thread
@DrAndrewGreen
We know this is very difficult. Our advice is that where service pressures affect you and risk patient safety, it’s vital to escalate & document concerns, but don’t walk away. You should work with colleagues to provide the safest care you can with the resources available to you.
Today, we’ve launched our public consultation about the rules, standards and guidance needed to implement the regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).
Legislation has been passed for us to regulate PAs and AAs. We’re now consulting on proposals
We were very pleased to welcome Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
@sajidjavid
to our new temporary Clinical Assessment Centre which we’ve opened to enable more overseas qualified doctors to sit their Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test (PLAB).
Today, an independent tribunal of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has suspended Dr Sarah Benn’s registration for a period of five months.
Dr Benn was referred to a tribunal because in 2022, she breached several court orders, which amounted to contempt of court, and as
‘I emigrated to the UK on a cold February morning. I remember the fear and apprehension. But at the same time, a flame of hope, excitement and joy rose in me. I was moving to the UK.’ Read the account of
#nigerian
#doctor
Olujinmi Adetutu who came to work for the
#NHS
#GP
🧵The updated
#GoodMedicalPractice2024
uses the term ‘medical professionals’ as a collective term for doctors, physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs), rather than listing out each individual role for every reference. We haven't removed doctors from the
Regulation is changing. Legislation passed by the UK parliament means that we’re legally required to start regulating physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) from the end of this year.
Regulation will assure patients, colleagues and employers that PAs and AAs
Announcement: Due to unforeseen technical issues, we're experiencing a delay in the release of PLAB 1 results on 21 September. We're investigating this issue and hope to provide an update soon. We advise candidates to remain in the queue for now.
We apologise for the
Today, we've published the
#StateofMed
report - our annual report into the workplace experiences of doctors in the UK.
The report highlights that after years of worsening job satisfaction and burnout, doctors are increasingly having to take their own steps to protect their
‘Though these scenarios are staged, role play should not take away the doctor in you.’ Passing the PLAB 2 test is a huge milestone in an
#IMG
’s UK career. PLAB 2 examiner
@DrNandiniC
, who once took the exam herself, shares her top tips. Read more:
🧵1/3 Last night, the House of Lords approved the anaesthesia associate and physician associate order. Regulation will help assure the public that AAs & PAs have the required knowledge, skills and experience to work safely. It will also help to increase the contribution PAs & AAs
@AdrianHarrop
Hi Dr Harrop - sorry to hear about this (1/2) You must feel able to report concerns wherever & whenever they arise. You should never be placed under pressure to feel otherwise. Drs w/extra responsibilities have a duty to help you raise & act on concerns
@poulsm90
@doctor_oxford
(1/2) Good morning - if you believe your working environment is unsafe or you're unable to maintain standards of care, we urge you to flag your concerns. And we expect those responsible for services to listen and act. We know it's not always easy, but it must be done...
Out today: our updated 'Decision making and consent' guidance, which comes into effect on 9 Nov
Take a look at our 7 key principles, which set out what doctors should consider when supporting patients to make decisions about their care
#DecidingTogether
'My wish is that this spirit carries through to the months and years ahead. So every doctor and every patient experiences the compassion that defines first-class care.'
Happy 72nd birthday to the NHS! 🎂 🎉 👏
To mark the day, staff from across the GMC wanted to say a huge thank you to all those who work so hard to care for patients.
#NHSBirthday
#ThankYouTogether
We welcome today’s publication of
@DHSCgovuk
’s consultation response on the regulation of anaesthesia associates and physician associates. It paves the way for new legislation to be laid in parliament on Wednesday. This is a significant milestone towards bringing these
PLAB update: on Tuesday 30 March we’ll publish February’s PLAB 1 test results. We’ve been able to get these ready slightly earlier than planned so you can check your results in GMC Online from 09:30 (BST) tomorrow.
Good luck from all of us at the GMC! 1/3
Today we've opened a consultation on
#GoodMedicalPractice
– the standards of professional behaviour & patient care expected from all medical professionals we regulate. Your views will shape the future of these standards & support the care we all receive.
🧵It’s vital that patients know who is caring for them.
As we prepare to bring physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) into regulation, we’ve been developing our plans to make it easy for anyone using our public facing registers to tell if a registrant is a
Thank you to all doctors for working hard to care for patients across the UK at this very challenging time. Find the latest advice and information on
#coronavirus
#COVID19
on our website
PLAB update: The British Council have now confirmed they can open additional seats for PLAB 1 in Pakistan in August for those candidates who had their test cancelled in May.
We’ll email you with further details next week about how to rebook. Thank you for your patience.
We’re continuing to prepare for the upcoming regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs). Here’s an update on how we’re reviewing responses from our consultation and next steps:
⚫️Our consultation was a structured process designed to gather and
🎊 Congratulations to all new F1s starting this month 🎊
We know you might be nervous, but your clinical supervisors & colleagues are there to help. Our F1 hub also has useful tips & advice that can support you.
1/ Today we welcome the first PLAB candidates sitting exams at our new temporary clinical assessment centre in Manchester.
Our new circuit allows us to test twice as many doctors safely, with more than 7,000 doctors already booked for PLAB 2.
Read more:
If you’re an
#IMG
preparing to take PLAB 2, role play may seem daunting. Don’t let it take away the doctor in you! Read our top tips for PLAB 2 success here:
We welcome this new guidance from
@RCPhysicians
. Led by Prof
@ParthaSKar
, it’s aimed at fostering high-quality local training for Locally Employed doctors and international medical graduates (IMGs).
Every doctor deserves the opportunity to grow their careers based on their
Read our new guidance on educational and career support for locally employed doctors (LEDs) and international medical graduates (IMGs).
Led by Prof
@parthaskar
, it intends to support employers and clinical leads to create quality local training pathways:
#GoodMedicalPractice2024
is now in effect! From today, you can access a new digital version and a range of supporting guidance on our website. Thanks to the tens of thousands of doctors who have read the updated standards already.
Data in our recent report on the experiences of SAS & LE doctors show that some SAS doctors face an increased risk of bullying & discrimination. There is no place for these behaviours in the UK's health service.
Led by our internal BME network, today we invited all our colleagues to observe a minute’s silence in remembrance of George Floyd and to show our ongoing commitment to tackling race inequalities and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
We’ll soon be running a consultation to help develop our approach to regulating PAs and AAs. In this, we’ll be asking for views on the detail of draft rules, standards and guidance for PA and AA regulation, covering four key areas:
🔵education and training
🔵registration
Welcome to all new F1 doctors starting their first post! 🎉 Congratulations on graduating and joining the medical register. 🎊
Our Chair, Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, shares her welcome and words of advice.
You can read her full message here:
Are you a physician associate or anaesthesia associate practising in the UK?
We’ve published new information about how you’ll register with us in the future, when regulation is introduced.
Read our webpages and find out how to prepare.