Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

A suitable person is a licensed doctor we have approved as suitable to make a revalidation recommendation about your fitness to practise. They should:

- make sure you are taking part in annual appraisal (through their organisation or through an agreement with another medical appraisal provider)
- make revalidation recommendations for you.

To do this, they will have processes in place to:

- monitor any concerns which might arise about your practice
- keep records of evaluations of your fitness to practise, including annual appraisals and any other investigations or assessments
- make sure you're complying with any conditions imposed by, or undertakings agreed with, the GMC.

Typically they will be:

- responsible for the clinical governance or appraisal processes in your organisation
- the responsible officer of a designated body you work for but do not have a connection to
- the medical director of an organisation or membership body that supports doctors who do your particular type of work.

Suitable persons must follow all revalidation guidance and instructions for responsible officers, except where we specify otherwise.

A person who manages direct payments on behalf of someone who does not have the mental capacity to look after the money themselves. It has to be someone reliable who will manage money in the best interests of person who receives it and make sure that the care they receive is beneficial to them. The council decides if someone is a suitable person, and oversees the arrangement.

The TLAP definition of 'suitable person' describes the role which is defined in law as the 'authorised person'.

'Suitable person' is used three times in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance (paras 14.10, 14,54 and 20.23). In all three cases it describes the role which is defined in law as the 'appropriate person'.

The General Medical Council definition of 'suitable person' is a specific professional/clinical role which bears no relation to either the 'appropriate person' or the 'authorised person' roles.