The NMC's guidelines dated 6 October 2026 cover communications that directly or indirectly promote doctors' or hospitals' services. Websites and other online communication are not outside the notice simply because they are digital (cl. 3.2, 3.5).
What the notice says
The notice identifies factual hospital information that may be provided, including:
- Hospital name and location.
- Departments, facilities and equipment.
- Services and emergency services.
- Accreditation and charges.
These categories are described as permitted hospital information (cl. 8.3).
The notice also identifies doctor directories as patient information. Such directories may include doctors' names, qualifications, specialities, registration details and availability (cl. 9.1).
What it means in practice
A website should present factual information clearly and avoid turning it into unsupported promotional claims. A list of services is different from a guarantee of cure, a claim of superiority or an unverifiable success rate (cl. 8.1 iii, ix).
Review every part of the site, including home page banners, doctor profiles, service pages, patient stories, photographs, FAQs and blog posts. A factual section does not make every other part of the website acceptable.
Check that professional details are accurate and that patient information does not reveal identifying details in a prohibited context (cl. 6.1, 6.4, 7.4).
What is still allowed?
The notice identifies factual hospital information and specified doctor-directory details as permitted patient information (cl. 8.3; 9.1). Formal announcements and public declarations of fees are also identified as permitted communication (cl. 8.2 ii; 9.3).
These provisions are not permission to make unsupported medical claims or use patient testimonials for promotion. Each section should be checked according to its content and purpose.
Related reading: NMC advertising guidelines 2026 · Website Development · AI Search & SEO
Source: NMC Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, 6 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Last checked: 15 October 2026.