Good Surgical Practice
Good Surgical Practice sets surgical standards for surgeons and is relevant to the wider surgical team. It has been developed in consultation with surgeons and patients.
Our primary goal is to provide compassionate, high-quality and safe surgical care. This document offers guidance to address this challenge and exemplifies the standards for all doctors set by the General Medical Council (GMC) in Good Medical Practice in the context of surgery. It represents the profession’s core values, the skills and attitudes that underpin professionalism in surgery, to which all surgeons should aspire to deliver high-quality care.
Letter from President Tim Mitchell and Vice-Presidents Vivien Lees, Peter Friend and Frank Smith
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Adapting to modern challenges
Good Surgical Practice 2025 revises the previous edition published in 2014 and aligns with the updated Good Medical Practice, effective from 2024.
While the core principles of good practice (prioritising patient safety, maintaining competence, committing to continuous professional development and collaborative working) do not change, the context in which surgery takes place evolves. This includes changes in surgical service delivery, working cultures and technological advances. Surgery continues to face new challenges and opportunities.
This edition aims to capture developments in surgery and surgical guidelines over the last ten years, including the rise of new technologies in surgery (including robotic surgery), environmental sustainability and the challenges around training.
We recognise that good practice depends not only on the personal attributes of the surgeon, but also on effective teamworking and adequate resources and time. Employers also have a role in building a working environment that enables surgeons to achieve these standards and we aim to supplement Good Surgical Practice with advice for employers, to support implementation.
A concise and user-friendly edition
The new edition is a shorter, more succinct document than the previous edition. Over the coming months, we will be expanding on its principles through a series of short supplementary guides and implementation tools, including advice and support for employers.
Designed for all surgeons
Good Surgical Practice is for surgeons of any grade working within and/or outside the NHS practice and Health and Social Care sector across the United Kingdom.
The standards it sets are reasonable, assessable and achievable by all competent surgeons. They can be used by surgeons confirm their good practice and by those assessing surgeons’ performance. They can also serve as a lever towards employers to enable the implementation of these principles in various surgical contexts. Good Surgical Practice can also benefit patients, providing them with an informed understanding of the standards they can reasonably expect from a competent surgeon.
Promoting a culture of collegiality, respect and safety
Good practice in surgery rests upon collegiality: a culture of openness, supportive discussion and accountability to offer safe and effective care to patients. We emphasise the importance of teamwork and the responsibility of both staff and employers to promote a positive and fair working culture that is free from discrimination and intimidation— where everyone is respected and valued as an individual. We highlight the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion, and the need to tackle sexual harassment, undermining and bullying.
Further reading and additional resources
Read our good practice guides for guidance and resources to support good surgical practice.