Useful Links

There is a wealth of information available online for doctors.  We’ve trawled the web to find you some of the most useful resources for your career.

 

 

Royal Colleges and Faculties

There are 21 medical royal colleges or faculties, each responsible for a particular specialty within medicine – most are coordinated and promoted by the Academy of the Medical Royal Colleges.  Each college or faculty has the role of setting standards in their fields, and supervising the post-graduate training of doctors within their specialty.

Each of the college’s websites has details of how you can become a member, in addition to the latest news and research in that area.

 

Specialist Organisations

In addition to Royal Colleges, there are also Specialist Organisations for all clinical sub-specialties. Their websites offer specialist news, resources, research and membership details.

Anaesthetics

Cardiovascular Medicine

Dentistry & Oral Medicine

Dermatology

Ear, Nose & Throat Medicine/Otorhinolaryngology

Gastroentotology

Haemotology

Intensive Care

Neurology

Ophthalmology

  • General Optical Council – http://www.optical.org/

Radiology

Rheumatology

Respiratory

Surgery

Pathology

Urology

Trauma & Orthopaedics

Industry bodies

British Medical Association http://bma.org.uk/

The British Medical Association is a trade union representing member doctors in the UK.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) processes requests for criminal record checks, and places persons deemed inappropriate to be working with vulnerable groups, including children, on a barred list.  The DBS issues a certificate to applicants.

General Medical Council(GMC) – http://www.gmc-uk.org/

The General Medical Council operates a register of licensed doctors in the UK.  Without being listed on the register, doctors are unable to practise. 

The GMC also regulates standards for medical schools in the UK; working with oversees medical bodies and regulators to decide where medical qualifications can be mutually recognised.

Furthermore, since December 2012, the GMC has also been responsible for the revalidation system, which was introduced to ensure doctors keep their medical knowledge up-to-date and remain fit to practise.

Care Quality Commissionhttp://www.cqc.org.uk/

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is and independent regulator of health and social care in England.  It exists to monitor hospitals, GPS, dentists and home care services against national standards and publishes findings.

Department of Health, Englandhttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health

The Department of Health (DH) is a government department that sets government policy in respect of health and social care matters with the objective of improving quality of care in the UK.  Some of its responsibilities are devolved to the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland – http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/

The Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPSNI) is a department of the Northern Ireland Executive and exists to improve the health and social well being of residents in Northern Ireland.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellencehttp://www.nice.org.uk/

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is a non-departmental public body responsible for developing guidance and quality standards in health and social care.

Publications

British Medical Journal (BMJ) – http://www.bmj.com

The BMJ is an international peer reviewed medical journal.  Its articles are published on the web as well as in a regular print journal.