What can happen to a doctor's licence after you complain?

Can a doctor’s licence be suspended while your complaint is investigated?

Yes. Under the Medical Liability Law, the health authority may suspend the licence until the Medical Liability Committee files its report. Each suspension lasts no more than 30 days and can be renewed for further periods of the same length.¹

In Dubai, the Director General and the Medical Practices Committee of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) may suspend a professional as a precaution for up to three months while a violation is investigated, extendable for the same period by a reasoned decision.² The DHA Licensing Manual also allows an interim suspension to protect patient safety until an investigation ends.³

Ask the authority handling your complaint whether it has taken any precautionary measure.

What sanctions can your doctor face?

Federal law lists five disciplinary penalties a health authority may impose:⁴

• a written notice;
• a written warning;
• a fine of AED 1,000 to AED 1,000,000;
• suspension of the licence for up to one year;
• revocation of the licence.

They may be imposed only after the doctor has been heard, unless the doctor fails to attend without an acceptable excuse.⁴

Dubai’s own resolution adds downgrading the doctor’s privileges or classification, and fines of AED 2,000 to AED 100,000 for a professional and AED 5,000 to AED 200,000 for a facility. A facility can be closed for up to six months or lose its licence. DHA may also require training, supervised work for up to a year, or a reassessment.² The DHA Licensing Manual says DHA may suspend or revoke a licence in cases of medical malpractice.³

In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) privileging standard says a facility should withdraw a professional’s clinical privileges on DoH instruction arising from patient complaints, or if the professional committed gross medical negligence.⁵

The gross medical error page explains when an error counts as gross.

Can your doctor appeal a sanction?

Yes, within 15 days. The doctor can complain to the health authority’s complaint committee within 15 days of being notified of the decision. The committee must decide within 30 days, silence counts as rejection, and its decision is final.⁴

Alsuwaidi & Company reported on 17 September 2025 that in Federal Supreme Court case 722/2025, a cosmetic surgeon’s one-year DHA suspension was upheld by the courts, and the Federal Supreme Court said it had no jurisdiction to review the suspension decision.⁶

The committee page explains how your own complaint is decided.

Will your doctor’s future employers find out?

They can, in Dubai. A professional whose licence is suspended or revoked by DHA or another authority is added to the DHA blacklist system.³ DHA may share disciplinary decisions with other regulators in the UAE and abroad, and may disclose them to a facility where the professional works or applies to work.³ The manual does not provide for publishing them.³

Check where a doctor holds a licence with the licence check guide.

Can you find out whether a doctor was sanctioned?

Not always. DoH announced on 14 October 2026 that it had revoked one physician’s licence and suspended another over controlled medication breaches. It did not name the doctors.⁷

Ask the authority that handled your complaint to tell you the outcome in writing, and check the doctor’s current licence status with the licence check guide.

The small print

• Medical Liability Law. Article 23 of Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016 sets the precautionary suspension.¹
• Federal Law No. 5 of 2019. Article 28 lists the disciplinary penalties. Article 29 sets the 15-day complaint and the 30-day decision.⁴
• Dubai. Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024, Article 19 (penalties and measures) and Article 22 (precautionary closure and suspension).² DHA Licensing Manual version 1.4, rules 5.37 (blacklist) and 24.1 to 24.6 (suspension and revocation, sharing and disclosure).³
• Abu Dhabi. DoH privileging standard, clauses 3.4.1.2 and 3.4.1.7.⁵