General Medical Council (GMC)
The General Medical Council (GMC) is a UK public agency that oversees the official registry of medical professionals. Its primary mission is to "protect, promote, and maintain the health and safety of the public" by controlling registration and suspending or removing members as needed. It also establishes the requirements for medical schools in the United Kingdom. Participation in the register gives significant benefits under Part VI of the Medical Act of 1983. Making a fraudulent claim of membership is a criminal offence. The GMC requires its members to complete enough suitable CPD to stay up to date and fit to practise in the workplace, and to be able to demonstrate this at reviews. Most medical royal colleges and universities have created CPD programmes or guidelines to assist doctors in maintaining and improving their professional standards in their field. The colleges and faculties require doctors who participate in these schemes to complete a certain amount of CPD credits over a five-year period. The appropriate Medical Royal Colleges define specific CPD criteria.