What is a remediation plan, and who needs one?
A remediation plan is a structured, written plan for addressing a specific concern about your practice. It sets out what needs to change, how you will change it, who will support and check you, and how you will show the change has worked.
You might need one if:
- your employer has raised a performance or conduct concern,
- you are under investigation by the NMC, GMC, HCPC, GPhC or another regulator,
- a panel or tribunal has imposed conditions, or you are preparing for a review hearing,
- you are returning to practice after a long gap or a suspension, or
- you have made a significant error and want to address it properly before anyone asks.
Regulators sometimes use different words. The NMC talks about strengthened practice. The GMC and MPTS talk about remediation. The idea is the same: you have recognised a problem and taken effective steps to reduce the risk of it happening again.
Why do so many remediation plans fall short?
Decision makers see a lot of remediation evidence. The weaker submissions tend to share the same problems:
- A pile of short online certificates with no link to the actual concern.
- Training completed in a rush just before a hearing.
- A reflection that describes feelings but not changes in practice.
- References from friends or colleagues who do not know about the allegations.
- No evidence from anyone who has actually watched or checked the person's practice since.
NMC guidance on whether a concern has been addressed is a useful benchmark for all professions. It gives more weight to training that is directly relevant, covers the concern in depth, includes a practical element and is assessed. It gives less weight to short online courses with no way of showing understanding. MPTS guidance similarly says objective evidence usually counts for more than self-certification.
Step by step: how to build a remediation plan
- 1. Define the concern precisely: Write down exactly what went wrong, in one or two sentences, using the language of the allegation or concern. 'Medication errors' is too broad. 'Gave a time-critical medicine late on two occasions because I did not check the drug chart at the start of the shift' is specific.
- 2. Find the underlying cause: Ask why it happened. Was it a knowledge gap, a skill gap, a habit, a communication problem, workload, or a system issue? Be honest. Human factors thinking helps here. Systems matter, but focus your plan on what is within your control.
- 3. Set two to four specific goals: Each goal should be measurable and time-limited. For example: 'By the end of March, complete a full medicines check at the start of every shift, confirmed by monthly audit of my drug rounds.'
- 4. Match activities to each goal: Choose learning that directly addresses the cause. This could be a relevant course, reading of the regulator's guidance, shadowing, simulation, or a period of supervised practice.
- 5. Name your supervisor or assessor: Agree who will observe, check or assess your practice. Ideally this is a manager or senior clinician who knows the full concern and can comment on your clinical practice.
- 6. Build in evidence as you go: Plan what evidence each goal will produce: audits, workplace-based assessments, signed observation records, feedback. Keep dated copies.
- 7. Schedule reviews: Set review points, for example monthly, to check progress and adjust the plan. Record what was discussed and agreed.
- 8. Reflect and close: At the end, write a reflection on what changed and how you know it has lasted. Link it to your regulator's standards.
This structure mirrors the principles NHS Resolution uses for professional support and remediation action plans: a clear overall aim, measurable objectives with milestones, named supervisors, tailored development activities and regular reviews.
What does a good remediation plan look like? A worked example
Grace was referred after two incidents in which post-operative observations were recorded late and a deterioration was not escalated promptly. She was not restricted from practice. With support from her union, she built the plan below with her ward manager, who knew about both incidents. (Fictional example.)
| Goal | Activities | Who checks | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record observations at the frequency set in the care plan, every shift | Review of the trust's observation policy; personal shift checklist | Ward manager | Monthly audit of 10 sets of her observation charts for three months |
| Escalate deterioration in line with the early warning score policy | Recognising deterioration course with assessment; two simulation sessions | Practice educator | Course certificate with assessment result; simulation feedback forms |
| Document escalation decisions clearly | Record keeping training; peer review of notes | Senior staff nurse | Signed record review against a checklist |
| Show sustained safe practice | Ongoing practice with monthly supervision | Ward manager | Dated supervision notes and a final signed testimonial that refers to the concerns |
Notice what makes this work. Each goal comes straight from the concern. Each activity matches a goal. Every piece of evidence comes from someone other than Grace. And the plan runs long enough to show the change has held, not just started.
How do you write the reflection that goes with the plan?
The reflection explains your thinking. It should show that you understand what happened, its impact on patients, colleagues and public trust, and what you now do differently. Most regulators accept any recognised reflective model. What matters is honest, specific content.
This incident has taught me the importance of observations. I feel terrible about what happened and I have done a lot of training. I am now much more careful and it will not happen again.
I did not record the patient's observations at the required time because I prioritised a discharge and assumed a colleague had covered it. The delay meant his rising early warning score was missed for two hours, and he needed a return to theatre. I now set a timer for observation rounds and hand over any I cannot complete. My manager's audit of 30 of my charts over three months found no missed observations. I also learned to escalate early even when I am unsure, and did so twice last month, which my supervisor discussed with me.
The stronger version names the cause, states the real impact, describes a concrete change and points to evidence that someone else has checked. It also avoids promising that nothing will ever go wrong again, which no one can honestly guarantee.
What if I am not working, or cannot practise in the area of concern?
This is a common and difficult situation. If you are suspended, unemployed or moved away from the relevant work, you cannot produce workplace evidence in the same way. NMC guidance notes that periods without the chance to show you can do the task safely usually carry limited weight.
You can still make progress:
- Complete in-depth, assessed training relevant to the concern.
- Keep a reflective log on your learning and how you would apply it.
- Look for supervised or observed roles, where appropriate and allowed by any order on your registration.
- Keep up to date with your regulator's standards and relevant clinical guidance.
- Ask your representative whether a return to practice or supervised placement is an option.
Be honest in your plan about what you could and could not do, and why. Decision makers understand that circumstances limit evidence.
When should you start your remediation plan?
As early as you can. Insight and steps taken early, before a hearing date is set, generally carry more weight than late admissions or training squeezed into the weeks before a hearing. Starting early also gives you time to build evidence that shows sustained change, not a single snapshot.
Early does not mean rushed. A few relevant, well-evidenced activities are worth more than a long list of unrelated certificates.
Keep a simple evidence folder from the first day. Store each certificate, audit, supervision note and piece of feedback with its date and a one-line note on which goal it supports. When your representative asks for a bundle, you will be able to show a clear story of change rather than searching for documents at the last minute.
Support for building your evidence
A remediation plan is a practical tool, not a performance. Keep it focused on the concern, honest about causes, and backed by evidence from people who have seen your practice.
Our Insight and Remediation: Building Your Evidence course takes you through planning, reflection and evidence gathering in detail. If your concern involves medicines, Medication Errors: Reflection and Remediation addresses that area directly. Where documentation is part of the concern, Record Keeping and Documentation: Remediation Course may help. These courses can form one part of a plan. They are not a substitute for supervised practice, and no course can determine a regulator's decision.
Frequently asked questions
What should a remediation plan include?
It should include a precise statement of the concern, the likely cause, two to four measurable goals, specific activities for each goal, a named supervisor or assessor, the evidence each goal will produce, review dates and a final reflection. Keep it short and practical. A clear one or two page plan with strong evidence is more useful than a long document.
Do online courses count as remediation?
They can, but weight varies. Regulators give more weight to training that is directly relevant to the concern, covers it in depth, includes practical elements and has some form of assessment. A long list of short, unrelated online certificates carries little weight. Combine relevant courses with workplace evidence, such as audits or supervisor feedback, wherever you can.
What makes a good testimonial for remediation?
A useful testimonial comes from a manager or supervisor who has seen your clinical practice and knows about the full concern or allegations. It should be signed, dated, on headed paper with contact details, and comment specifically on your practice since the events. Character references from friends or colleagues unaware of the allegations carry little weight.
How long should a remediation plan last?
Long enough to show the change has been sustained, not just started. For many practice concerns this is a few months of supervised practice with regular reviews, but it depends on the seriousness of the concern and any conditions on your registration. Agree the timescale with your supervisor and take advice from your representative.
Can dishonesty be remediated?
It is harder. Regulators recognise that concerns about honesty or attitude are less easily addressed through training or supervision than an isolated clinical error. That does not mean nothing helps. Genuine insight, early acknowledgement, relevant ethics learning and a sustained record of trustworthy conduct can all be relevant. Take specialist advice in these cases.
Is a remediation plan the same as a personal development plan?
No. A personal development plan covers your general learning and career goals. A remediation plan targets a specific concern and is designed to show that the risk linked to that concern has reduced. It needs independent evidence and review points. You can link the two, but keep the remediation plan focused.
Related courses
Insight and Remediation: Building Your Evidence
This course explains what UK healthcare regulators mean by insight and remediation, how they are assessed at each stage of a fitness to practise…
Medication Errors: Reflection and Remediation
This course explains why medication errors happen, what you must do when one occurs, and how to show a regulator or employer that you have understood…
Record Keeping and Documentation: Remediation Course
This course explains what good clinical documentation looks like, why record-keeping concerns arise, and why altering or falsifying a record is…
Sources and further reading
- Has the concern been addressed? (Insight and strengthened practice). Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Can the concern be addressed?. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Professional support and remediation (PSR). NHS Resolution.
- Guidance for MPTS tribunals: Medical practitioners tribunal hearings (doctors). Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.
- Sanctions policy (2026). Health and Care Professions Council.
- Supporting information for reflection in nursing and midwifery practice. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.
More guides
What Does 'Insight' Mean in a Fitness to Practise Case?
What insight means in a fitness to practise case, how the NMC and GMC assess it, how to show it in a reflective statement, and what weakens it. Plain UK guide.
What Happens at an NMC Fitness to Practise Hearing?
What happens at an NMC fitness to practise hearing: who attends, the three stages, possible sanctions, hearings versus meetings, and how to prepare calmly.
MPTS Tribunals Explained: The Process and Possible Outcomes for Doctors
MPTS tribunal process explained for doctors: who decides, the three stages of a hearing, possible outcomes and sanctions, review hearings and appeals.