Doctors at the BMA's annual representative meeting overwhelmingly declared their lack of confidence in the General Medical Council “as presently constituted and functioning.”

Very few of the 450 representatives wanted to abolish the council; the vast majority reaffirmed support for professional self regulation and for the principle of revalidation, although there was criticism of the GMC's revalidation proposals.

The meeting did, however, want the council to “initiate urgent reform of its structures and functions in consultation with the profession.”

Similar votes of no confidence were passed by the senior and junior hospital staffs conferences and by the public health conference (10 June, p 1557; 17 June, p 1626). The conference of local medical committees called on the GMC to improve its performance (24 June, p 1692).

Proposing the no confidence motion Dr Peter Terry, a consultant obstetrician …