Sanctions
Undertakings
Unlike Warnings, Undertakings can only be considered by the GMC where it appears to them your fitness to practise is impaired and an undertaking would sufficiently protect the public. If the impairment is so serious erasure from the Register is a likelihood, undertakings will not be offered. Undertakings also differ from Warnings in that they are an action on your registration.
An undertaking is a written promise by you, agreed with the GMC, in which you commit to limits on your practise or completing certain acts that affect your medical practise.
The GMC have a large bank of standard undertakings they accept, and where relevant, they will invite you to agree. The undertakings usually relate to performance, health, English knowledge, alcohol or drug use. Unless an undertaking relates to your health, they will be published on the register in the form a summary of the concerns and the reasoning the undertaking was agreed.
An undertaking can be agreed and dealt with by the GMC or an MPTS Tribunal may approve undertakings. Even if they are agreed the GMC may still refer you to the MPTS if you breach an undertaking or if they receive new information raising concerns.
If you dispute the facts of an allegation or have a history of breaching undertakings or show no insight, it is unlikely an undertaking could be agreed.
The MPTS will consider undertakings workable where you have insight, training/supervision would address the impairment, you are likely to comply and will remediate positively. Undertakings must address the issue of the impairment and sufficiently protect patients.
The GMC has a Case Review Team who monitor undertaking compliance. They can be reviewed and revoked either after a certain period of time or upon the passing of a certain event. Some examples of undertakings from the GMC’s standard form bank are: To attend counselling and provide GMC with evidence on request, to only proscribe drugs under arrangements agreed by the GMC Adviser, to only work in a GP setting where there are at least two partner or not to work in any locum post or fixed term contract less than [X] duration.
