Completed consultations

We respond to policy consultations issued by the UK government and devolved administrations, health regulators, and national and international bodies. Please find below the College's responses to major consultations from recent years.

Consultations from 2020

January

• NHS England and Improvement: Primary Care Networks – Service Specifications [PDF]
• RCGP Letter to Simon Stevens regarding Primary Care Networks - Service Specifications [PDF]

Consultations from 2019

December

• Northern Ireland Office: A new legal framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland [PDF]

November

• Department for Health and Social Care - NHS pension scheme: increased flexibility [PDF]

October

• Department of Health and Social Care - Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s [PDF]
• Department for Work and Pensions: Work and Health Unit - Health is everyone's business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss [PDF]

September

• Health Education England - Future Doctor Call for Evidence [PDF]

March

• Health and Social Care Committee - NHS Long-term Plan: legislative proposals inquiry [PDF]
• Department of Health and Social Care - Learning disability and autism training for health and care staff [PDF]

January

• Migration Advisory Committee - Review of the Shortage Occupation List 2019 [PDF]

Consultations from 2018

July

• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport - Call for evidence on approach to Loneliness Strategy [PDF]

March

• NHS and Public Health England - Facing the Facts, Shaping the Future [PDF]

RCGP Scotland Responses from 2018

August

• Health and Sport Committee's consultation on the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill (PDF)
• Cross-Party Group on Heart Disease and Stroke's consultation into hypertension (PDF)

April

• Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 Proposals for Reform [PDF]
• A Connected Scotland: Tackling social isolation and loneliness and building stronger social connections [PDF]

May 

• Scottish Labour NHS and Social Care Workforce Commission – workforce consultation [PDF]

Consultations from 2017

August

• CQC - Care Quality Commission's next phase of regulation [PDF]

Consultations from 2016

March

• Department of Health – Overseas visitors and migrants: extending charges for NHS services [PDF]
• Health Education England – Supporting role for nurses [PDF]

February

• CQC – Code of practice on confidential personal information [PDF]
• GMC – Confidentiality A public consultation on our draft guidance [PDF]

January

• CQC – Regulatory fees [PDF]

Consultations from 2015

November

• NHS England - The Government's Mandate to NHS England [PDF]

April

• Health Education England - Primary Care Workforce Commission [PDF]

February

• CQC - Display of ratings and minor amendments for providers [PDF]

January

• CQC - Updated proposals for special measures for GP practices [PDF]
• Home Office - Introducing mandatory reporting for female genital mutilation [PDF] 

Consultations from 2014

December

• Public Health England - NHS Health Check Programme [PDF]

October

• CQC - Display of Performance Assessments [PDF] 
• CQC - Guidance for providers of meeting the fundamental standards and on CQCs enforcement powers [PDF]

July

• Department of Health - Legislation to encourage medical innovation [PDF]

June

• CQC - How we regulate, inspect and rate services [PDF]

Consultations from 2013

November

• NHS England - Improving general practice: a call to action [PDF]

September

• Department of Health - Refreshing the Mandate to NHS England 2014-15 [PDF]
• Department of Health - How can we improve health and care for vulnerable older people? [PDF]

August

• Monitor - Call for evidence on the general practice services sector in England [PDF]
• NHS England - Engagement on the Urgent and Emergency Care Review [PDF]
• Department of Health - Migrant Access to the NHS [PDF]
• Home Office - Controlling Immigration - Regulating migrant access to health services in the UK [PDF]

July

• Monitor/NHS England - How can the NHS payment system do more for patients? [PDF] 
• Monitor - Substantive guidance on the Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition Regulations [PDF]
• Monitor - Enforcement guidance on the Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition Regulations [PDF]

June

• ESHLSG - Disclosure of payments from commercial life sciences organisations to healthcare professionals [PDF] 
• Monitor - Licence conditions, choice and competition: consultation on draft guidance for providers of NHS-funded services [PDF]

May

• NHS SDU - Sustainable Development Strategy for the Health and Care System [PDF]

April

• Department of Health - Direct payments for healthcare [PDF]
• Independent Review of the Liverpool Care Pathway - call for evidence [PDF] 
• Health Education England - Our Strategic Intent [PDF]

February

• GMC - Shape of Training Review [PDF]
• Nuffield Trust - Review of Aggregate Assessment of Providers of Health and Social Care in England (“Rating Review”)

January

• Department of Health - Strengthening the NHS Constitution [PDF]

Consultations from 2012

December

• Department of Health - Performers List Regulations 2013 [PDF]
• Care Quality Commission - Strategy for 2013 to 2016 [PDF]
• Monitor - Fair Playing Field Review [PDF]

October

• Department of Health - Securing Best Value for NHS Patients, Procurement, Patients and Choice [PDF]
• Monitor - The New NHS Provider Licence [PDF]
• Department of Health - Protecting and Promoting Patients' Interests Licensing Providers of NHS Services [PDF]
• NICE - Draft Standard for Looked-After Children [PDF]

September 2012

• Department of Health - JSNAs and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies Draft Guidance [PDF]
• Department of Health - Developing our NHS Care Objectives [PDF]
• Scottish Parliament - Integration of Adult Health and Social Care in Scotland

August 2012

• Department of Health - No Decision About Me, Without Me [PDF]
• GMC - The Future of Adjudication [PDF]

July 2012

• Department of Health - World Class Procurement for the NHS [PDF]
• Department of Health - Responsible Officers in the New Health Architecture [PDF]
• Department of Health - Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products [PDF]

June 2012

• Department of Health - Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Towards a Workforce Strategy for the Public Health System [PDF]
• GMC - Routes to the General Practitioner and Specialist Registers [PDF]
• GMC - Good Medical Practice Explanatory Guidance [PDF]

May 2012

• GMC - Guidance to the Investigation Committee on Doctors Accused of Assisting Suicide [PDF]
• Department of Health - GMC and GDC Constitution (Amendment) Orders [PDF]
• GMC - Proposal to Time Limit Provisional Registration [PDF]
• Department of Health - UK Plan for Rare Diseases [PDF]
• UCL- Role of the Health Workforce in Tackling Health Inequalities [PDF]

April 2012

• GMC - Call for Evidence on Induction for Doctors new to the UK [PDF]
• GMC - Review of PLAB [PDF]

March 2012

• Department of Health - Regulations for Healthwatch England Membership [PDF]
• Department of Health - Management of HIV-Infected Healthcare Workers [PDF]
• GMC - Recognising and Approving Trainers [PDF]

February 2012

• NICE - potential new QOF indicators [PDF]
• GMC - review of good medical practice 2012 [PDF]
• Department of Health - JSNAs and joint health and wellbeing strategies [PDF]
• NICE - potential COF indicators [PDF]

January 2012

• King's Fund - review ofleadership in the NHS [PDF]
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society - draft professional standards for hospital pharmacy services [PDF]
• GMC - GMC's role in continuing professional development [PDF]
• GMC - Licence to Practice and Revalidation Regulations 2012 [PDF]

Consultations from 2011

December 2011

• Department of Health - caring for our future [PDF]
• Department of Health - implementing a duty of candour [PDF]

November 2011

• Department of Health Future Forum - integration [PDF]

October 2011

• NICE - NQB engagement exercise on the library of NICE quality standards [PDF]
• GMC - protecting children and young people [PDF]
• Department of Health Future Forum - new workstreams [PDF]

September 2011

• Department for Work and Pensions - the work capability assessment [PDF]
• European Commission - modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive [PDF]
• Intelligence for Commissioners Programme - intelligence needs for Clinical Commissioning Groups [PDF]

August 2011

• Department of Health - seasonal influenza immunisation programme and review of the procurement of seasonal vaccine [PDF]

July 2011

• Department of Health - registration of primary medical services providers with the Care Quality Commission [PDF]

June 2011

• GMC - good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices [PDF]

May 2011

• Department of Health - Future Forum listening exercise on the Health and Social Care Bill [PDF]

March 2011

• Department of Health - a new value-based approach to the pricing of branded medicines [PDF]
• GMC - national professional postgraduate examinations [PDF]
• GMC - reform of the fitness to practice procedures [PDF]
• Department of Health - liberating the NHS: developing the healthcare workforce [PDF]
• Department of Health - healthy lives, healthy people [PDF]

January 2011

• Department of Health- liberating the NHS: an information revolution [PDF]
• Department of Health - consultation on the cancer drugs fund [PDF]

Consultations from 2010

November 2010

• DDRB – consultation on compensation levels, incentives and the clinical excellence and distinction award schemes for NHS consultants [PDF]

October 2010

• Department of Health - equity and excellence: liberating the NHS [PDF]
• Department of Health - liberating the NHS: commissioning for patients [PDF]
• Department of Health - liberating the NHS: transparency in outcomes [PDF]
• GMC - review of good practice in prescribing medicine [PDF]

July 2010

• Intercollegiate document on safeguarding and protecting children and young people [PDF]

June 2010

• Department of Health - your choice of GP practice [PDF]
• GMC - Revalidation: the way ahead [PDF]
• Department of Health - access for foreign nationals [PDF]

April 2010

• NHS Revalidation support team - strengthening appraisal for Revalidation [PDF]

March 2010

• Patel review of the future regulation of medical education and training [PDF]

Consultations from 2009

October 2009

• Department of Health - responsible officer regulations [PDF]

May 2009

• The Future Doctor - a response to the questions of the Royal College of Physicians’ future doctor working party [PDF]

March 2009

• General Medical Council - tomorrow's doctors 2009 [PDF]

February 2009

• Department of Health - developing the quality and outcomes framework [PDF]

Contact us

If you have questions about responses not included here, or to comment on any current consultations, contact responses@rcgp.org.uk

Useful links

• Current consultations