If you need a licence to practise, you must revalidate in the same way as doctors in clinical roles, and the supporting information that you bring to your appraisal will need to reflect your non-clinical role.

The GMC states that:

"If you want to continue to hold a licence to practise, then you will need to revalidate like every other doctor who is licensed. However, you may not need a licence to practise if you don’t carry out any clinical practice. If this is the case, you have the option of giving up your licence but maintaining your registration with us. This will show you remain in good standing with us. You can apply to have your licence restored if you need it at some point in the future because your circumstances change. Please remember, though, that by giving up your licence you will not be able to exercise any of the privileges associated with it. These include writing prescriptions, and signing death or cremation certificates".

 The term ‘practice’ refers to your professional work, clinical or non-clinical. This may include work with little or no patient contact, for example:

  • Interaction by correspondence, such as giving advice by telephone, email or letter 
  • Requests for insurance medicals 
  • Medico-legal work (see also the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine’s FAQ on this topic) 
  • Adviser to adoption/fostering panels
  • Review of articles for a medical/specialty journal 
  • Clinical skills lecturer
  • Review of articles for a medical/specialty journal
  • Examiner

For further information please see the GMC's information on licensing and relinquishing your license.