Functional medicine and GMC registration: legal and regulatory risks for doctors

In this episode of Confidence to Thrive, Owlicity director Christopher Cloke Browne speaks with Andrea James, a Keystone Law partner specialising in professional discipline and healthcare regulatory law, about whether functional medicine practitioners should keep GMC registration.

Andrea explains that “medical practice” is not defined in the Medical Act and the GMC will not give role-specific advice, but warns that giving up registration can be high risk for doctors who still rely on their medical background in clinic work or marketing.

She highlights reserved activities (such as prescribing, Mental Health Act assessments and signing death certificates) and the broad criminal offence of implying you are registered when you are not, meaning the GMC could pursue criminal prosecution rather than fitness to practise proceedings.

They discuss that most complaints they see originate from other doctors and are often defensible when patients are given clear, upfront information, and Andrea flags separate, more prescriptive CQC registration risks under regulated activities.

Episode time stamps:

00:53 Meet Andrea James

02:28 Do you need GMC registration

04:34 Criminal risk explained

07:44 Why complaints happen

09:35 Defending functional medicine

12:34 Working with mainstream care

14:51 What counts as medicine?

17:22 CQC registration basics

19:37 Practical legal advice

Connect with Andrea James and Keystone Law

https://keystonelaw.com/lawyers/andrea-james

https://keystonelaw.com/

Who are Owlicity?

This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive.

Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: Owlicity.co.uk

Call us on 0203 988 8090

Follow us on social media

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube