How to work as a GP in the UK
As of July 2026, to work as a general practitioner (GP) in the UK a doctor must hold registration with a licence to practise from the General Medical Council (GMC) and be entered on the GMC GP Register. Being on the general medical register alone is not enough. There are two routes onto the GP Register: a UK Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or the portfolio (equivalence) route β historically the Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR) β for doctors who trained outside a UK-approved programme. This free guide explains both, the GP shortage that drives demand, how GP pay is structured, and the permitted source corridors.
The two routes onto the GP Register
The GMC confirms which route applies to you based on where and how you trained.
CCT β completing UK GP specialty training
Doctors who train as a GP inside a UK-approved GP specialty training programme.
On satisfactory completion of an approved UK GP specialty training programme, the GMC awards a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), which supports entry to the GP Register.
What the GP Register is βThe portfolio route (historically CEGPR)
Doctors whose GP / family-medicine training or experience was gained outside a UK-approved programme.
Doctors who did not complete a UK GP training programme can apply to the GMC to demonstrate that their training and experience are equivalent to a UK CCT β historically the Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR), which the GMC has reformed in recent years.
The portfolio route in detail βThe steps onto the GP Register, in order
Every route shares the same broad sequence. Confirm the current detail for your circumstances on the official GMC website.
Hold GMC registration with a licence to practise
Before GP registration, an internationally-qualified doctor must first hold registration with a licence to practise from the General Medical Council (GMC) β via PLAB, a recognised postgraduate qualification, or specialist assessment.
Confirm your GP route with the GMC
Contact the GMC to confirm whether you qualify for the GP Register through a UK CCT or through the portfolio (equivalence) route, and exactly what evidence your circumstances require.
Evidence your English
Provide the English-language evidence the GMC accepts for your circumstances β usually IELTS Academic or OET, or evidence that your qualification was taught and examined in English. Confirm current thresholds on gmc-uk.org.
Apply for entry to the GP Register
Submit your GP Register application to the GMC with the required evidence (a UK CCT, or a portfolio demonstrating equivalence). Only doctors on the GP Register may work as a GP in the UK.
Join the NHS Medical Performers List and arrange the right to work
To provide NHS primary medical services you must also be included on the NHS England Medical Performers List. If you are not a UK or Irish citizen, secure the right to work β typically a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer (gov.uk).
Is there a GP shortage in the UK?
Why demand for GPs is high β the NHS England General Practice Workforce statistics and the Long Term Workforce Plan, with the real sources cited.
GP shortage evidence βHow does GP pay work?
Salaried GPs, partners, and locums are paid in very different ways. How each is structured β with the official pay sources.
GP salary explained βWhere internationally-qualified GPs come from
Pathway information for doctors from permitted source corridors who independently want to work in UK general practice.
- Ireland
- EEA & EU (Spain, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Greece)
- India
- Egypt
- the Philippines
- the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf
What this guide is β and is not
This is
- Free, general educational information about the UK GP registration pathway.
- Organised for doctors who are independently exploring their options.
- A pointer to the official sources β the GMC (gmc-uk.org), the RCGP, and gov.uk β for the current, authoritative detail.
This is not
- A recruitment service. GeraClinic does not place GPs into NHS jobs and is not a recruitment agency.
- A guarantee of registration, a job, or a visa β those decisions rest with the GMC, employers, and UK Visas and Immigration.
- Legal or immigration advice. Always confirm your position with the official regulators.
Gera provides career pathway information for clinicians who independently choose to migrate and does not actively recruit from countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List (which includes, for example, Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan, and Nepal). The UK Code of Practice restricts active recruitment from those countries; it does not stop any individual from applying directly, of their own accord, to an advertised vacancy.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be on the GP Register to work as a GP in the UK?+
Yes. To work as a general practitioner in the UK you must hold GMC registration with a licence to practise AND be entered on the GMC GP Register. Being on the general medical register alone is not enough to work as a GP β GP registration is a separate, additional requirement.
What are the routes onto the GP Register?+
There are two main routes: a UK Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) after completing an approved UK GP specialty training programme, or the portfolio (equivalence) route β historically the Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR) β for doctors whose GP training and experience were gained outside a UK-approved programme. The GMC confirms which route applies to you.
Is GeraClinic a recruitment agency for the NHS?+
No. GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform operated by Gera Services Ltd. These pages are free educational information for doctors who independently want to understand the UK GP registration pathway. GeraClinic does not place GPs into NHS jobs and is not a recruitment agency. Individuals apply to the GMC, and to any employer, directly and of their own accord.
Is there a shortage of GPs in the UK?+
The number of fully qualified full-time-equivalent GPs in England has broadly not kept pace with the growth in registered patients, which is why demand for GPs is high. NHS England publishes the General Practice Workforce statistics monthly, and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (June 2023) set out plans to expand GP specialty training places. See the GP shortage evidence page for the sources.
Related Gera pathway guides
Keep practising while you plan your move
GeraClinic is a remote telemedicine platform for licensed doctors. Wherever you are registered today, you can see patients online, set your own hours and fees, and get paid within 3β5 business days β a way to keep earning while you work through your UK GP registration. It is free to apply.