Many doctors take time away from clinical work for research, relocation, family responsibilities or further study. A common question is whether it is possible to maintain a GMC licence to practise without being in active employment in the United Kingdom. The answer is yes, but it requires continued engagement with revalidation and professional development processes.
Licence to Practise vs Registration Only
The General Medical Council (GMC) offers two statuses:
Registration with a Licence to Practise
This status allows you to work legally as a doctor in the UK. It requires revalidation every five years, supported by annual appraisals, and payment of the annual retention fee. For 2024–25, the standard annual fee is £483.
Registration without a Licence
This status keeps your name on the GMC register but does not allow clinical practice. It is less costly, at £166 per year, and does not require appraisal or revalidation.
GMC Requirements if You Keep Your Licence
Even if you are not engaged in clinical work, the GMC requires the following:
Connection to a Designated Body and Responsible Officer (RO)
Your RO oversees your appraisal and makes recommendations to the GMC for revalidation. This is usually an NHS employer, locum agency or in some cases a Royal College.
Annual Appraisal
You must complete an annual appraisal. The content can be tailored to non-clinical activities, but it must demonstrate reflection and professional development relevant to your scope of work.
Supporting Information
You are expected to collect six types of supporting information throughout the revalidation cycle:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Quality improvement activity
- Significant events or reflective cases
- Colleague feedback
- Patient feedback or acceptable alternatives
- Records of complaints and compliments
Practical Approaches Without Clinical Work
Doctors who are not in clinical practice can still meet these requirements by:
- Logging CPD activities such as online courses, college modules, and academic webinars, with written reflections
- Taking part in audits, educational projects, or guideline development for quality improvement
- Using feedback from colleagues in teaching, research, or administration to meet the colleague feedback requirement
- Substituting patient surveys with teaching evaluations or other service-user feedback where direct patient contact is absent
- Documenting a plan for return to practice if there is a long clinical break
When to Consider Registration Without a Licence
If you know you will not practise in the UK for an extended period, it may be more practical to step down to registration only. This avoids appraisal and revalidation, reduces costs, and simplifies administration. Restoration of a licence is possible but usually takes several months, so applications should be made in advance of any planned return to UK practice.
Conclusion
It is possible to maintain a GMC licence without active clinical practice. The essential requirements are continued connection with a Responsible Officer, annual appraisal, and collection of supporting information. If these cannot be met, it is usually more practical to remain registered without a licence and restore it when clinical work in the UK resumes.
References
- General Medical Council. Fees for doctors. Available at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/fees-and-funding/fees-for-doctors
- General Medical Council. Revalidation. Available at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/revalidation
- General Medical Council. Supporting information for appraisal and revalidation. Available at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/revalidation/supporting-information
- General Medical Council. Giving up your licence to practise. Available at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/changes-to-your-status/giving-up-your-licence
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