Medical Act 1983

55 Interpretation. U.K.

F1 (1) In this Act—

• “acceptable overseas qualification” has the meaning given by section 22(4) 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;

• [F2 “Directive 93/16/EEC” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;]

• “disqualifying decision” has the meaning given by section 44(2) above;

• [F2 “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;

• [F3 “exempt person” has the meaning given in section 19(2) above;]

• F4 . . .

• “fully registered person” means a person for the time being registered under [F5 section 3, 19, 21A, 25 or 27] above as a fully registered medical practitioner, or under section 18 above as a visiting [F6 EEA practitioner], and—

  (a)

  so far as mentioned in subsection (3) of section 15 [F7 (including that subsection as applied by section 15A(4))] or 21 above, but not further, includes a person for the time being provisionally registered;

  (b)

  in 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;

• “limited registration” has the meaning given by section 22(2) above;

• “national”, in relation to a [F6 EEA 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;

• “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;

• “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;

• [F8 “professional performance” includes a medical practitioner’s professional competence;]

• “provisionally registered” means provisionally registered under section 15 [F9 , 15A] or 21 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;

• F10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “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;

• “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;

• [F11 “revalidation” has the meaning given in section 29A above;]

• F12 . . .

• “the statutory committees” means the committees specified in section 1(3) above.

[F13 (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

F1 S. 55 renumbered as s. 55(1) (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(1)

F2 Definition in s. 55(1) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(a)(b)

F3 S. 55(1): definition of "exempt person" inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)

F4 Definition in s. 55(1) repealed (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(c)(f)

F5 In 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)

F6 Words in s. 55(1) substituted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(d)(e)

F7 In s. 55(1) in para. (a) of definition of "fully registered person" words inserted (4.12.2000) by S.I. 2000/3041, reg. 4(6)(a)

F8 S. 55(1): definition of "professional performance" inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)

F9 In s. 55(1) in definition of "provisionally registered" word inserted (4.12.2000) by S.I. 2000/3041, reg. 4(6)(b)

F10 In 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)

F11 S. 55(1): definition of "revalidation" inserted (17.12.2002) by The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/3135), arts. 1(2)(h), 15(6)(c) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)

F12 Definition in s. 55(1) repealed (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(c)(f)

F13 S. 55(2) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 7, Sch. 2 para. 13(3)