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Health Professions: Conduct

Asked by Josh Fenton-GlynnLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 15 July 2026UIN 901012

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with healthcare regulators on the application of adequate sanctions in cases of serious misconduct.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Patient safety will always be a top priority for this government. Which is why, while healthcare regulators operate independently, my department regularly meets them, including to discuss their legal duties. We are delivering a major reform programme to give regulators better tools and enable swifter action to protect the public, like the proposed removal of the 5-year rule, which currently makes it more difficult for the GMC and some other regulators to take action relating to historical cases.

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