Live Ethics and Professionalism Course for a Conduct Concern: What to Expect and When to Take It

Written and reviewed by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, MBBS, MRCS, MRCGP, Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Law and Ethics · Updated 9 November 2026

Which conduct concerns a live ethics and professionalism course suits

It fits when the question is how you behaved or how you reached a decision, rather than what you knew clinically:

• a complaint about your manner, tone or communication with a patient or a colleague;
• an allegation of bullying, undermining or a heated argument at work (see accused of bullying at work);
• a social media post, or conduct outside work, that has been reported;
• a decision about consent or confidentiality that has been questioned;
• an employer disciplinary about professional standards that may be referred on.

If the concern is about honesty, the live probity and ethics course fits better; for a boundary with a patient or a colleague, the live professional boundaries course does.

What a regulator looks at in a conduct concern

Every UK healthcare regulator sets standards for conduct, not only for clinical practice. The NMC Code, for example, asks nurses and midwives to “act with honesty and integrity at all times, treating people fairly and without discrimination, bullying or harassment” (20.2). On conduct outside work, the NMC says it acts where the conduct “raises fundamental questions about the professional’s ability to uphold the values and standards set out in the Code”, and that “long-term or repeated misconduct is more likely to suggest risk of harm” (NMC: Concerns outside professional practice).

That last point is why remediation matters in a conduct case: a reader wants to see that the behaviour was a single episode you understand, not a pattern. Our professionalism course guide sets out what each regulator’s standards say.

What to expect on the day

You join by Zoom at 9.30am with your camera on. The group is made up of professionals from different registers, which helps: a doctor, a pharmacist and a nurse see the same situation in different ways. The facilitator is Dr Shehzad Iqbal, a practising GP who has run remediation courses since 2020.

The first half deals with the ideas behind good conduct: respect for autonomy, doing good and avoiding harm, fairness, and what makes behaviour professional. The second half turns to your own situation: what happened, how it looked to the patient or colleague on the other side, and what you have changed since. You leave with a written action plan and a structure for your reflection. There is a lunch break and two tea or coffee breaks; dates are on the Ethics and Professionalism Course page.

When to take it

• When a concern is first raised at work. Acting before anyone asks shows you took it seriously.
• Before a written response to your employer or regulator, so the response can describe what you have done.
• Before a case examiner or investigating committee decision, where further evidence can still be sent.
• Before a hearing, with time left to show your changed behaviour holds over several months.
• At any time for CPD, with no concern raised.

There is no need to wait for the outcome of an employer investigation before booking.

Live or online: choosing the format

The online courses are self-paced, 2 CPD hours each at £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10): Professionalism for Healthcare Professionals and Ethics for Healthcare Professionals cover every profession, and there are versions written to a single regulator’s standards, such as the GMC professionalism course for doctors.

The live day suits a conduct concern well because the concern is about how you deal with people. Discussing a situation with others, hearing a view you did not expect and answering questions about your own account is close to the skill in question. Some people take an online course first and the live day before their response goes in.

What to bring, and the one-to-one option

Bring the complaint or allegation as it was put to you, any notes from meetings with your employer, a draft response if you have one, and examples of what you have changed. Join from a quiet, private room.

If you would prefer not to discuss your situation in a group, the one-to-one version, with the facilitator alone, costs £250 on top of the course price.

CPD and appraisal use

The day gives 5 CPD hours and is CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197); see its listing on The CPD Certification Service website. Log the certificate with a short reflection for your appraisal, revalidation or CPD record.

The live course for a conduct concern, and for CPD

Courses that sit beside it

The online courses are £79 each (£50 with Bulk Buy 10); ten online courses with a live course come to £949 (£500 plus £449). Not sure which fits? Book a free 15-minute call.

This guide is part of our Professional Misconduct hub, which brings together every Probity & Ethics guide and course on the subject.

The CPD courses linked from this guide, Professionalism for Healthcare Professionals, Ethics for Healthcare Professionals and Professionalism and Professional Standards for Doctors, are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197) and offered since 2020.

Questions and answers