How can I find out if my organisation is a designated body?

The Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 and the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) (Amendment) Regulations 2013, set the criteria which designates organisations. Organisations need to consider whether they fall into any of the categories within the Schedule to the Regulations. If there is any doubt the organisation should seek legal advice.

Organisations defined as designated bodies (DBs) have a responsibility to appoint an responsible officer (RO) under these regulations. The RO has a number of statutory duties in relation to the evaluation of the fitness to practise of every licensed doctor that has a prescribed connection to that designated body. These include, ensuring that the DB carries out regular appraisals on its doctors and that as the RO, they make recommendations to the GMC about the fitness to practise for all the licensed doctors that have a prescribed connection to that DB.

The publication ‘Prescribed Connections to NHS England’, sets out the rules and arrangements for designated bodies and doctors with a prescribed connection to NHS England, describing which responsible officer they relate to in accordance with the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 as amended 2013. The document replaces the ‘Prescribed Connections to the NHS England’ which was previously published in draft on 28 March 2013.

The following FAQs can be found here:

  • When is an organisation a ‘Designated Body’?
  • Where can I find further guidance as to whether my organisation is a designated body?
  • How do I declare my organisation as a ‘Designated Body’?