Understanding the rise in Fitness to Practise complaints from members of the public

Understanding the rise in Fitness to Practise complaints from members of the public Enquiries made by the general public to the General Medical Council (GMC) about doctors’ fitness to practise rose from 5,168 in 2007 to 10,347 in 2012. The report found that an increase in complaints has been seen across the UK, which suggests wider social trends rather than localised issues; pointing towards problems with the wider complaint-handling system and culture. It highlights the increased profile of the GMC, press coverage of medical complaints and social media as potential factors in the rise in complaints. Plymouth University