The Medical (Professional Performance) Act, which became law last November, has given powers to the General Medical Council (GMC) to take action when it seems that a doctor's professional performance may be seriously deficient. The council has been concerned for some time about its inability to intervene when consistently poor care seems to result not from misconduct but from a doctor's inadequate knowledge and skills, and it sees the new powers as essential if it is to fulfil its duty to protect the public. There has also been external pressure for a means of addressing poor performance among doctors, and if the task had not been given to the GMC an alternative mechanism would almost certainly have been demanded.
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