RCGP Safeguarding toolkit

Safeguarding responsibilities as a GP

Safeguarding duties and responsibilities for all doctors working in the UK, including GPs, are set out by the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC highlights the importance of safeguarding in their guidance for doctors; all GPs should be familiar with, and follow, these professional standards. The GMC standards with particular relevance to safeguarding are:

• Good medical practice. 2024.
• Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information. Updated 2018.
• Protecting children and young people: the responsibilities of all doctors. Updated 2018.
• 0 – 18 years: guidance for all doctors. Updated 2018.
• Adult safeguarding ethical hub (this ethical hub shows how the GMC professional standards can be applied in adult safeguarding).

Good medical practice 2024 includes the following guidance on safeguarding:

“Safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of harm

• You must consider the needs and welfare of people (adults, children and young people) who may be vulnerable, and offer them help if you think their rights are being abused or denied. You must follow our more detailed guidance on Protecting children and young people and 0-18 years: guidance for all doctors.
• You must act promptly on any concerns you have about a patient – or someone close to them – who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, or is being abused or neglected.”