What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
NHS England checks an applicant's eligibility, declarations and professional history before deciding on inclusion. Delays, requests for information and adverse material should be handled against the current policy and regulations.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Keep the complete application and every supporting document
Answer information requests accurately and by the stated date
Explain any adverse history with source evidence
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
The application is a statutory suitability process
GPs, dentists and ophthalmic practitioners who provide the relevant NHS primary care services in England must satisfy the applicable performers-list requirements. NHS England's application process checks identity, registration, qualifications, professional history, health and other prescribed information. Keep the submitted form, declarations, supporting evidence and every later request together. A missing or inconsistent answer can create a separate credibility problem even where the underlying history would not have prevented inclusion.
Identify the professional list, intended role and application route, including any provision for a practitioner already listed in another UK nation. The governing rules have been amended over time, so use the current NHS England policy and legislation rather than an old local checklist. Temporary working permissions, where available, are conditional and time-limited; they should not be presented as final inclusion before NHS England completes its decision.
- Confirm the list and application route
- Retain the exact submitted form and declarations
- Check current policy rather than an archived local process
02
Explain adverse information completely and precisely
An application may require disclosure of criminal, regulatory, employment, health, previous list and litigation information. Answer the actual question and provide the final source documents, such as determinations, judgments or employer outcomes. A short chronology can distinguish allegations from findings and show later events. Do not describe a matter as cleared if the formal decision uses narrower language, or omit it because another body considered it historic.
Where information is disputed, identify the dispute and evidence without editing the original record. Current suitability evidence may include professional standing, appraisal, remediation, supervision or occupational-health material, depending on the issue. References should come from people with relevant knowledge. The application is not improved by a large set of general testimonials that do not address the information causing concern or the intended NHS primary care role.
- Use final source documents for disclosed history
- Separate allegations, findings and later developments
- Provide current evidence directed to the actual concern
03
Prepare for inclusion, conditions or refusal
NHS England may include the applicant, include with conditions or refuse on a ground available under the regulations. If adverse action is contemplated, read the notice for the facts, statutory basis, representation process and possible decision-maker. A focused response should show how each asserted ground applies or does not apply, and address practical safeguards without conceding an inaccurate factual premise.
Conditions offered on inclusion can govern the work from the outset. Test supervision, reporting, location or scope terms against the actual job and secure employer confirmation. If NHS England refuses inclusion or imposes appealable conditions, preserve the decision and proof of receipt because the First-tier Tribunal deadline is short. Do not start unrestricted work while an application or appeal remains unresolved unless the formal rules clearly permit it.
- Identify the statutory basis of any proposed adverse action
- Confirm that proposed conditions can operate
- Preserve the decision and service evidence for appeal
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Whether mandatory inclusion requirements are met
Whether discretionary refusal grounds arise
Whether inclusion should be unconditional, conditional or refused
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Does professional registration guarantee NHS Performers List inclusion?
No. Professional registration and performers-list inclusion are distinct. NHS England applies the Performers Lists Regulations and its current application policy.
Can I work while my England performers-list application is pending?
Only where a current legal provision expressly permits it and its conditions are met. Do not infer final inclusion or permission from submission of the application alone.
Connected guidance
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Use the hub for the full sequence or choose the connected route that matches the notice.
Official sources
Check the material for this question.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Rules change, so compare the current notice and linked official material and tell the operator if a citation or summary needs correction.