(1)There shall continue to be a body corporate known as the General Medical Council (in this Act referred to as “the General Council”) having the functions assigned to them by this Act.
[F1(1A)The over-arching objective of the General Council in exercising their functions is the protection of the public.
(1B)The pursuit by the General Council of their over-arching objective involves the pursuit of the following objectives—
(a)to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and well-being of the public,
(b)to promote and maintain public confidence in the medical profession, and
(c)to promote and maintain proper professional standards and conduct for members of that profession.]
[F2(2)The General Council shall be constituted as provided for by order of the Privy Council, subject to Part 1 of Schedule 1 to this Act.]
[F3(3)The General Council shall have the following committees—
F4(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F5(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c)one or more [F6Registration Panels],
(d)one or more Registration Appeals Panels,
(e)the Investigation Committee,
F5(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[F7(g)the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (“the MPTS”),]
[F8(h)one or more Medical Practitioners Tribunals,
(i)one or more Interim Orders Tribunals,]
constituted in accordance with Part III of Schedule 1 to this Act and having the functions assigned to them by or under this Act.
(3A)The committees of the General Council specified in F9...subsection (3) above are referred to in this Act as “the statutory committees”.]
(4)Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the General Council, its branch councils and committees, its proceedings, its officers and its accounts.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 1(1A)(1B) substituted for s. 1(1A) (3.8.2015) by The General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise and Over-arching Objective) and the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (References to Court) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/794), arts. 1(3), 21(1) (with art. 1(4)); S.I. 2015/1579, art. 2(l)
F2S. 1(2) substituted (1.1.2009) by The Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1774), art. 1(5), Sch. 1 para. 1; S.I. 2008/2556, art. 2(2)(a)(i)
F3S. 1(3)(3A) substituted for s. 1(3) (1.11.2004 as notified in the London Gazette dated 8.10.2004) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(3), 5(2) (with Sch. 2)
F4S. 1(3)(a) omitted (1.1.2009) by virtue of The Medical Profession (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/3131), art. 1(3), Sch. 1 para. 1(a)
F5S. 1(3)(b)(f) omitted (31.12.2015) by virtue of The General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise and Over-arching Objective) and the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (References to Court) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/794), arts. 1(3), 3(1)(a); S.I. 2015/1952, art. 2(b)
F6Words in s. 1(3)(c) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 3(1)(a)
F7S. 1(3)(g) inserted (31.12.2015) by The General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise and Over-arching Objective) and the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (References to Court) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/794), arts. 1(3), 2(1); S.I. 2015/1952, art. 2(a)
(1)There shall continue to be kept by the registrar of the General Council (in this Act referred to as “the Registrar”) [F10a register] of medical practitioners registered under this Act containing the names of those registered and the qualifications they are entitled to have registered under this Act.
(2)The [F11register referred to is] “the register of medical practitioners” consisting of [F12the following lists]—
(a)the principal list,
[F13(aa)if anyone is registered under section 18A, the emergency powers doctors list,] [F14and]
F15(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c)the visiting overseas doctors list, F16...
F16(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3)Medical practitioners shall be registered as fully registered medical practitioners or provisionally F18... as provided in Parts II and III of this Act and in the appropriate list of the register of medical practitioners F19... as provided in Part IV of this Act.
[F20(4)Section 35C(2)(da) (the necessary knowledge of English) shall not apply in determining whether a person’s fitness to practise is impaired for the purposes of registration under this Act.]
Textual Amendments
F10Words in s. 2(1) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 4(a) (with arts. 84, 85)
F11Words in s. 2(2) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 4(b)(i) (with arts. 84, 85)
F12Words in s. 2(2) substituted (9.7.2008) by The Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1774), art. 1(2)(b), Sch. 1 para. 2(a)
F13S. 2(2)(aa) inserted (9.7.2008) by The Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1774), art. 1(2)(b), Sch. 1 para. 2(b)
F14Word in s. 2(2) inserted (31.12.2020) by The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/593), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(a) (with reg. 12A, Sch. 1 Pt. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1394, regs. 4, 9); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F15S. 2(2)(b) omitted (1.4.2005 as notified in the London Gazette dated 14.1.2005) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(3), 9(1)(b) (with Sch. 2)
F16S. 2(2)(d) and preceding word omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/593), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(b) (with reg. 12A, Sch. 1 Pt. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1394, regs. 4, 9); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F17Words in s. 2(2) omitted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 4(b)(ii) (with arts. 84, 85)
F18Words in s. 2(3) omitted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 4(c)(i) (with arts. 84, 85)
F19Words in s. 2(3) omitted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 19.10.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 20.7.2007) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 4(c)(ii) (with arts. 84, 85)
F20S. 2(4) inserted (29.4.2014) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) (Knowledge of English) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1101), arts. 1(1), 2(2) (with arts. 11, 12)