A Rule 7 letter is the GMC’s formal notice that it has gathered its evidence and is putting specific allegations to a doctor for a written response, with at least 28 days to comment. This guide explains what the letter is, what happens after you reply, and which category your allegation falls into, so the learning you choose addresses the actual concern. Other regulators send an equivalent letter, so the mapping applies to them too.

What is a Rule 7 letter?

A Rule 7 letter is a formal notice under the GMC’s Fitness to Practise Rules 2004. It sets out the specific allegations about a doctor, shares the evidence the GMC has gathered, and invites a written response. The GMC’s guidance gives the doctor at least 28 days to provide written comments. It typically follows an earlier Rule 4 letter, which marks the start of the investigation.

The letter usually contains:

• the allegations, set out in numbered particulars
• the evidence the GMC has gathered so far
• the deadline and how to send your response

Check your own letter for its exact contents and date. If anything is unclear, ask your medical defence organisation or indemnity provider before you reply.

What happens after you respond

Your response goes to the GMC’s case examiners, one medical and one lay, who review the allegations, the evidence and what you have said. They can close the case with no further action, issue a warning, agree undertakings with you, or refer the case to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service for a hearing.

That is why the quality of your response matters. Case examiners look at how well you understand what happened, and what you have done since to put it right. A course can support that, but it is one piece of the picture. If you are facing this stage, our GMC remediation courses are organised around exactly these questions.

Who this guide is for

The equivalent stage at other regulators

Every UK regulator runs an equivalent process under its own rules, a formal notice of the allegation, an evidence disclosure, and an invitation to respond, typically within a similar timeframe.

• NMC, GDC, GPhC, Social Work England each issue a formal notice of the case against the registrant at the equivalent stage, reviewed by case examiners, though the specific document name varies by regulator.
• HCPC issues what it specifically calls a notification letter, sometimes referred to as an allegation letter, inviting a written response, typically within 28 days, reviewed by its Investigating Committee.

The mapping below applies whichever regulator’s letter you’ve actually received, the allegation categories are the same, only the formal document name changes.

The mapping, by allegation category

Six recurring categories cover the overwhelming majority of formal allegations. Find the category closest to the actual concern raised, then see which courses help build that response.

Many allegations touch more than one category at once, such as a communication failure under pressure that also reflects a competence gap. Where that is the case, more than one row above will apply.

Evidence quality over evidence volume

Solicitors handling these cases are consistent on this point: evidence should never be attached simply to create volume. Each document needs a clear, specific purpose. If the allegation is a failure to follow a particular procedure, the relevant policy, a training record, and contemporaneous documentation matter more than a large, unrelated collection of certificates.

Direct links by regulator

For the "conduct" category above, and for general context on your specific regulator’s standards, here are direct links to each regulator’s Ethics and Professionalism courses.

If you want the fuller process picture

This guide maps allegations to courses. For the full process each allegation sits within, screening through to a possible hearing, our Fitness to Practise course covers it end to end, and our guide to writing the response itself covers the facts, insight, and remediation structure that works across every regulator.