November 4, 2026
Quick answer: An NMC compliance audit reviews your website, social media and Google profile against the NMC Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication dated 6 October 2026. It checks claims, testimonials, before and after content, offers, patient privacy, AI labelling and mandatory disclosures, and rates each finding red, amber or green with a fix.
Latest update: The NMC notice dated 6 October 2026 took effect immediately. It restricts testimonials, before and after material, success-rate claims, unverifiable superlatives and offers, and requires name, qualifications and registration details on electronic posts. The notice does not say how older content is treated, so reviewing current bios, pinned posts and recent content is a sensible starting point.
Last updated: 4 November 2026 · By Akhil Dave, Founder & Principal Consultant, HMS Consultants
Related: Get quick answers in 100 questions answered on the NMC advertising guidelines.
Most doctors and clinics post online with good intentions: an educational reel, a clinic update, a Google profile, a thank-you note. Under the new NMC guidelines, some of these everyday habits can now count as promotion. This guide gives you a practical checklist, so you can see where you stand and what to fix first.
Key takeaways
An NMC compliance audit is a structured review of everything public that you or your clinic publishes, tested against the guidelines. The aim is to find content that may conflict with the rules, content that is borderline, and content that is fine. It covers:
For the full rules, read our guide to the NMC advertising guidelines for doctors. This post turns them into a checklist.
The guidelines cover registered medical practitioners, hospitals and medical institutions, and they apply across websites, social media, messaging apps, podcasts, influencer marketing, sponsored posts and AI-generated content. They also make clear that publishing through an agency, influencer or platform does not remove responsibility for content you authorised or knowingly permitted.
The notice describes graded action that State Medical Councils may contemplate for violations, starting with a warning. A show-cause notice comes first, and there is a route of appeal. The practical lesson is simple: it is easier to review your content calmly now than to respond to a complaint later.
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Not sure where you stand? Get a red, amber, green report on your website, social media and Google profile.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Name, qualifications and registration | Shown in the footer and on every doctor page |
| Testimonials and reviews | No testimonial page, review widget, star banner, video testimonial or screenshot |
| Before and after content | No before and after gallery, case results or success stories |
| Claims and superlatives | No “best”, “No. 1”, “painless”, “guaranteed” or “100%” without verifiable proof |
| Numbers | No patient counts or success rates |
| Offers | No discounts, festival deals, coupons or free-procedure offers; fees stated factually |
| Doctor photographs | Modest and informational, not repeated hero banners |
| Forms and privacy | Privacy notice, consent on forms, cookie notice, WhatsApp widget consent |
| Metadata and image text | Titles, alt text and file names free of claims and superlatives |
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Bio and username | Qualifications and registration number shown; no superlatives |
| Reels and posts | No patient faces, voices, names, results or reactions |
| Thank-you and review posts | No “happy patient” posts, review screenshots or chat screenshots |
| Calls to action | Educational content with factual contact details only |
| Giveaways and contests | None; no referral offers |
| AI content | Clear AI label; no AI-made patient images, testimonials or outcomes |
| Comment replies | No patient detail and no promotion |
| Followers and engagement | No bought followers, likes, views or comments |
For a deeper look at channels, see our guide to a social media audit for hospitals.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Business name | The real registered name, with no keywords added |
| Services and posts | Factual and educational; no offers or prize events |
| Photos | No before and after and no identifiable patients |
| Review requests | No QR codes, cards or WhatsApp requests asking for reviews until the NMC clarifies |
| Review replies | Neutral and free of patient detail |
| Directories (Practo, Justdial and others) | Separate what you control from what the platform controls; check paid ranking and lead-fee models |
| Platform badges | Do not copy badges such as “Top Doctor” onto your own channels |
Our local SEO checklist for doctors shows how to keep your profile useful and compliant.
The guidelines expect a doctor’s electronic posts to show name, qualifications and registration status with the registration number. A simple line for pages and posts:
Dr [Name], [Qualifications]. [State] Medical Council Reg. No. [Number]. Educational information only; not a substitute for consultation.
Check that it appears on every page type, not only the home page.
| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| “Best cardiologist in Vadodara” | Name, qualifications, registration number and where you practise |
| “10,000+ successful surgeries” | Remove it. If it is scientific, publish it in a journal and cite it |
| “Book now, 20% off this month” | “Consultation fee: ₹X. Procedure charges are available on request.” |
| Patient video testimonial | An educational video in your own name, such as what to expect before a procedure |
| Before and after gallery | Remove it |
| Google review screenshots | Remove them and do not solicit or quote reviews |
These are patterns, not legal advice. Your own situation may need a lawyer’s view.
The service is priced from ₹25,000 for an individual doctor and ₹50,000 for a hospital or multi-doctor centre. See the full details on our NMC compliance audit page.
A short self-check is a good first step: open your website, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google profile, and go through the three tables above. If you find items you are unsure about, or you work with an agency or influencer, an outside review helps because a fresh pair of eyes sees what you have stopped noticing. If you are building your personal brand within these rules, read our personal branding playbook for doctors.
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Get an independent red, amber, green review of your online presence in 7 working days.
It is a structured review of a doctor’s or hospital’s website, social media channels and Google profile against the NMC Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication dated 6 October 2026. Each finding is rated red, amber or green, with a fix.
Any registered medical practitioner, clinic or hospital that has a website, social media pages, a Google Business Profile or directory listings. Doctors who work with an agency, influencer or freelancer for content should also review what is posted in their name.
Claims and superlatives, testimonials and reviews, before and after content, offers, patient privacy, AI labelling, mandatory disclosures such as name, qualifications and registration number, and who controls third-party listings.
The HMS Consultants audit report is delivered in 7 working days, followed by a 30-minute walkthrough of the findings and priorities.
No. HMS Consultants is a marketing consultancy and not a law firm. The audit is a marketing compliance review. Findings marked amber may need advice from a qualified healthcare lawyer.
Yes. Your own team, agency or web developer can make the corrections. The report names what to change, where, and who should do it.
Speak to a qualified lawyer first. A marketing review can sit alongside legal advice, but it does not replace it.
A red, amber, green review of your website, social media and Google profile.
Explore the AuditBuild a professional presence that works within the guidelines.
Explore Doctor BrandingA wider review of how your hospital attracts and converts patients.
Explore Marketing AuditDisclaimer: HMS Consultants is a healthcare marketing consultancy. We are not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. References to the NMC guidelines reflect our understanding of public information. Please consult a qualified healthcare lawyer before acting.
About the author: Akhil Dave is Founder & Principal Consultant of HMS Consultants, with 25+ years in healthcare marketing.
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