- Latest available (Revised)
- Point in Time (01/03/2007)
- Original (As enacted)
Version Superseded: 13/06/2007
Point in time view as at 01/03/2007.
Medical Act 1983, Part VII is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 24 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.
(1)If at any time it appears to the Privy Council that—
(a)the Education Committee have failed to secure the maintenance of the prescribed standard of proficiency at examinations; or
(b)the General Council or the Education Committee ought to exercise any power, perform any duty, or do any act or thing vested in, imposed on or authorised to be done by them, by any provision of this Act except section 7, [F110, 11, 12, 13 or] [F110A or] [F232(1) to (3) or (7) to (9)] [F232(1) to (3), (7) or (9)] F3... or paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to this Act,
the Privy Council may notify their opinion to the General Council or that Committee as the case requires.
(2)If the General Council fail to comply with any directions of the Privy Council relating to a notification given under subsection (1) above, the Privy Council may themselves give effect to those directions, and for that purpose may exercise any power vested in the General Council or do any act or thing authorised to be done by that Council and may of their own motion do any act or thing which under this Act they are authorised to do in pursuance of a representation or suggestion from the General Council.
(3)Subsection (2) above shall apply to the Education Committee as it applies to the General Council.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 50(1)(b) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 1.8.2007 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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 31
F2Words in s. 50(1)(b) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 13.6.2007 in so far as not already in force as notified in the London Gazette dated 18.5.2007) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Amendments Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1914), art. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 74
F3Words in s. 50(1)(b) omitted (1.7.2003 as notified in the London Gazette dated 1.7.2003) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(3), 15(3) (with Sch. 2)
(1)Any power of the Privy Council to make orders under the provisions of this Act (except section 9(2) and (5)) shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.
(2)Except as provided in subsection (3) below, any statutory instrument containing an Order in Council or order of the Privy Council under any provision of this Act shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(3)[F4Subsection (2) above does not apply to an Order in Council under section 8(2) above or an order of the Privy Council under section 31(10) or 32(8) above or an order under section 11(5) above, but no order under section 11(5) above shall be made unless a draft of it has been laid before Parliament and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.]
[F4Subsection (2) above does not apply to—
(a)an Order in Council under section 8(2) above; or
(b)an order of the Privy Council under section 10A(3) or 31(10) above.]
Textual Amendments
F4S. 51(3) substituted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 1.8.2007 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), 32
(1)Any power vested in the Privy Council by this Act may be exercised by any two or more of the lords and others of the Council.
(2)Any act of the Privy Council under this Act shall be sufficiently signified by an instrument signed by the clerk of the Council, and an order or act signified by an instrument purporting to be signed by the clerk of the Council shall be deemed to have been duly made or done by the Privy Council, and an instrument so signed shall be received in evidence in all courts and proceedings without proof of the authority or signature of the clerk of the Council or other proof.
(1)The General Council shall publish at least once in each calender year a statistical report which indicates the efficiency and effectiveness of the arrangements the Council has put in place to protect the public from persons whose fitness to practise is impaired, together with the General Council’s observations on the report.
(2)The General Council—
(a)within such time as may be specified by the Privy Council, shall submit a report to it on the General Council’s exercise of its functions during the period specified by the Privy Council; and
(b)thereafter shall submit such a report once in each year in respect of the period since its last such report.
(3)The Privy Council shall lay before each House of Parliament a copy of the report submitted by the Council under subsection (2) above.]
Textual Amendments
F5S. 52A inserted (1.7.2003 as notified in the London Gazette dated 1.7.2003) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(3), 15(4) (with Sch. 2)
(1)A copy of any instrument mentioned in subsection (2) below which—
(a)purports to be printed by the Queen's printers, or by any other printers in pursuance of authority given by the General Council, or
(b)is certified to be a true copy by the Registrar or by any other person appointed by the General Council, either in addition to or in place of the Registrar, to certify any such instrument,
shall be admissible in evidence.
(2)The instruments referred to in subsection (1) above are—
(a)any order of the Privy Council under section 9 above;
(b)regulations made by the General Council under section 31 or 32 above;
[F6(c)an order of a Fitness to Practise Panel under section 38 above; and]
(d)a direction of the General Council under section 39 above.
Textual Amendments
F6S. 53(2)(c) substituted (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), 15(5) (with Sch. 2)
Nothing in this Act shall prejudice or in any way affect the lawful occupation, trade, or business of chemists and druggists and dentists, or the rights, privileges or employment of duly licensed apothecaries in Northern Ireland, so far as the occupation, trade or business extends to selling, compounding or dispensing medicines.
[F7(1)]In this Act—
“acceptable overseas qualification” has the meaning given by [F8section 22(4)] [F8section 21B(2)] above;
[F9“acceptable programme for provisionally registered doctors” has the meaning given by section 10A(1) above;]
“additional qualification” has the meaning given by section 16(2) above;
“appointed member” means a member of the General Council chosen by a university or other body designated as an appointing body by an Order in Council under section 1 above;
“appointing body” means a university or other body having, by virtue of an Order in Council under section 1 above, power to choose an appointed member or members of the General Council;
[F10“Directive 93/16/EEC” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;]
“disqualifying decision” has the meaning given by section 44(2) above;
[F10“the EEA Agreement” and “EEA State” have the meanings given by section 3(3) above;]
“elected member” means a member of the General Council elected under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to this Act;
[F11“exempt person” has the meaning given in section 19(2) above;]
F12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“fully registered person” means a person for the time being registered under [F13section 3, 19, [F1421A, 25 or 27] [F1421B, 27A or 27B]] above as a fully registered medical practitioner, or under section 18 above as a visiting [F15EEA practitioner], and—
so far as mentioned in subsection (3) of section 15 (including that subsection as applied by section [F1615A(4)) or 21] [F1615A(4), 21 or 21C] above, but not further, includes a person for the time being provisionally registered;
[F17in relation to such employment and such things as are mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (7) of section 22 above, but not in relation to other matters, includes a person for the time being registered under that section with limited registration;]
and “fully registered” shall be construed accordingly;
“the General Council” means the General Medical Council;
[F18“impaired”, in relation to a person’s fitness to practise, has the meaning given in section 35C(2) above;]
[F19“limited registration” has the meaning given by section 22(2) above;]
“national”, in relation to a [F15EEA State], has the same meaning as in the Community Treaties, but does not include a person who by virtue of Article 2 of Protocol No. 3 (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) to the Treaty of Accession is not to benefit from Community provisions relating to the free movement of persons and services;
“the necessary knowledge of English”, in relation to an applicant for registration under this Act, means the knowledge which, in the interests of himself and his patients, is necessary for the practice of medicine in the United Kingdom;
“nominated member” means a member of the General Council nominated by Her Majesty under paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to this Act;
[F20“the permitted period”, in relation to limited registration, has the meaning given by section 22(3) above;]
“the prescribed knowledge and skill” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;
[F21“a prescribed pattern of experience” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;]
“the prescribed standard of proficiency” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;
“primary European qualification” shall be construed in accordance with section 17 above;
“primary United Kingdom qualification” has the meaning given by section 4(3) above;
[F22“professional performance” includes a medical practitioner’s professional competence;]
“provisionally registered” means provisionally registered under section 15 , [F2315A or 21] [F2315A, 21 or 21C] above;
“qualification”, except where the context otherwise requires, means any diploma, degree, fellowship, membership, licence, authority to practise, letters testimonial, certificate or other status or document granted in respect of any branch or branches of medicine by any university, corporation, college or other body or by any department of, or persons acting under the authority of, the government of any country or place;
F24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[F25“the register” means the register of medical practitioners, except that, in relation to a person registered with limited registration, it means the register of medical practitioners with limited registration;]
[F25“the register” means the register of medical practitioners;]
“the Registrar” has the meaning given by section 2(1) above but subject to sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 16 of Schedule 1 to this Act;
[F26“revalidation” has the meaning given in section 29A above;]
F27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[F28“the statutory committees” has the meaning given in section 1(3A) above;]
[F29(2)In relation to anything done before the adoption by the Council of Directive 93/16/EEC, references in this Act to that Directive, or to any provision of that Directive, shall be construed as references to, or to the corresponding provision of, the following Directives as for the time being amended, namely—
(a)Council Directive No.75/362/EEC concerning the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications in medicine; and
(b)Council Directive No.75/363/EEC concerning the coordination of provisions in respect of activities of doctors.]
Textual Amendments
F7S. 55 renumbered as s. 55(1) (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(1)
F8Words in s. 55(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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 41(a)
F9Words in s. 55(1) inserted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 1.8.2007 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), 33(a)
F10Definition in s. 55(1) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(a)(b)
F11Words in s. 55(1) inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with Sch. 2)
F12Definition in s. 55(1) repealed (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(c)(f)
F13In s. 55(1) in definition of "fully registered person" words substituted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(b) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)
F14Words in s. 55(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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 41(b)(i)
F15Words in s. 55(1) substituted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(d)(e)
F16Words in s. 55(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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 41(b)(ii)
F17Words in s. 55(1) 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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 15(a)
F18Words in s. 55(1) inserted (7.7.2004) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with Sch. 2)
F19Words in s. 55(1) 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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 15(b)
F20Words in s. 55(1) 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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 15(c)
F21Words in s. 55(1) omitted (19.7.2006 for specified purposes, 1.8.2007 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), 33(b)
F22Words in s. 55(1) inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with Sch. 2)
F23Words in s. 55(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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 41(c)
F24In s. 55(1) definition of "recognised overseas qualification" omitted (17.12.2002) by virtue of The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(a) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)
F25Words in s. 55(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), arts. 1(2)(b)(c)(3), 15(d)
F26Words in s. 55(1) inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with Sch. 2)
F27Definition in s. 55(1) repealed (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(c)(f)
F28Words in s. 55(1) inserted (17.12.2002 for specified purposes, 7.7.2004 for specified purposes as notified in the London Gazette dated 2.7.2004, 1.11.2004 for specified purposes 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)(h), 15(6)(c) (with Sch. 2)
F29S. 55(2) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(3)
(1)Schedule 5 (consequential amendments) and Schedule 6 (transitional and saving provisions) to this Act shall have effect but without prejudice to the operation of sections 15 to 17 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (which relate to the effect of repeals); and in Schedule 6 “the 1956 Act” and “the M11978 Act” mean the M2Medical Act 1956 and the M3Medical Act 1978 respectively.
(2)Subject to subsection (1) above, the enactments specified in Part I of Schedule 7 to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Part of that Schedule.
(3)The instruments specified in Part II of Schedule 7 to this Act are hereby revoked to the extent specified in the third column of that Part, but the re-enactment of Articles 4, 7 and 8 of the M4Medical Qualifications (EEC Recognition) Order 1977 in provisions of this Act shall be without prejudice to the validity of those Articles, and any question as to the validity of them shall be determined as if the re-enacting provision of this Act were contained in a statutory instrument made under the powers under which that Order was made.
(1)This Act may be cited as the Medical Act 1983.
(2)This Act shall come into force at the end of the period of three months beginning with the day on which it is passed.
(3)This Act extends to Northern Ireland.
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including: