The Abuse Redress Rules 2026
Adjusted the fees payable to the General Medical Council by medical practitioners with overseas qualifications starting April 2024.
These regulations amend the fee structure for medical practitioners applying for registration with the General Medical Council.
They specifically revoke the 'fixed fee' previously applicable to certain doctors with overseas qualifications, requiring them instead to pay the standard registration fee.
These changes apply to any medical practitioner qualified outside the UK who seeks inclusion in the GMC register on or after 1 April 2024.
Arguments For
The regulations state that the changes are necessary to standardise the fee structure for medical practitioners regardless of where they obtained their primary qualification.
The General Medical Council (GMC) indicates that the amendments ensure that certain doctors previously eligible for a lower 'fixed fee' will now pay the standard fee, aligning their contributions with other registrants.
The document specifies that these changes are made under the authority of the Medical Act 1983, providing a statutory basis for the GMC to adjust its fee schedules.
Arguments Against
Professional medical associations have expressed concern that increasing fees during a period of high inflation may place additional financial strain on international medical graduates.
Legal commentators have noted that while the GMC has the power to set fees, the removal of specific reduced rates for overseas practitioners could be perceived as a disincentive for international recruitment.
Critics have pointed out that the regulations provide little transition time for doctors already planning their registration under the previous fee structure, as the changes apply to applications made from 1 April 2024.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the General Medical Council (Overseas Registered Practitioners Registration Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and come into force on 1st April 2024.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active. All fee changes described in the document take effect on 1 April 2024.
Amendments to the General Medical Council (Overseas Registered Practitioners Registration Fees) Regulations 2013
2.—(1) The General Medical Council (Overseas Registered Practitioners Registration Fees) Regulations 2013 are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 2 (fees)—
(a) in paragraph (1), for “paragraphs (1A), (2) and (3)” substitute “paragraphs (1A) and (2)”;
(b) omit paragraph (3).
This section modifies the 2013 Regulations by removing the specific 'fixed fee' category for overseas practitioners.
By omitting paragraph (3), the law requires these practitioners to pay the standard registration fee rather than a specialized rate.
This change applies to practitioners whose right to registration does not derive from specific EU law or international agreements listed elsewhere in the regulations.
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