In this Act—

• “acceptable overseas qualification” has the meaning given by F17section 21B(2) above;

• F11“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;

• F30...

• F30...

• F20“competent authority” means any authority or body of a relevant European State designated by that State for the purposes of the Directive as competent to—

  1. a

     receive or issue evidence of qualifications or other information or documents, or

  2. b

     receive applications and take the decisions referred to in the Directive,

  in connection with the practice of medicine;

• F20“the Directive” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;

• F21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

• F22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F30...

• F5“exempt person” has the meaning given in section 19(2) above;

• F1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F23“fully registered person” means a person for the time being registered under section 3, 14A, F2918A, 19, 19A, 21B, 27A or 27B above as a fully registered medical practitioner, or under Schedule 2A as a visiting medical practitioner from a relevant European State, and—

  1. a

     so far as mentioned in subsection (3) of section 15 (including that subsection as applied by section F1815A(4), 21 or 21C above, but not further, includes a person for the time being provisionally registered;

  2. b

     F13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  and “fully registered” shall be construed accordingly;

• “the General Council” means the General Medical Council;

• F24“the General Systems Regulations” means the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2781);

• F7“impaired”, in relation to a person’s fitness to practise, has the meaning given in section 35C(2) above;

• F14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “national”, in relation to a F25relevant European 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;

• F30...

• F15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “the prescribed knowledge and skill” has the meaning given by section 5(4) above;

• F12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “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 , F1915A, 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;

• F2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F16“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“relevant European State” means an EEA State or Switzerland;

• F9“revalidation” has the meaning given in section 29A above;

• F3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F10“the statutory committees” has the meaning given in section 1(3A) above;

In this section, “Directive 93/16/EEC” means Council Directive 93/16/EEC of 5th April 1993 to facilitate the free movement of doctors and the mutual recognition of their diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications (OJ No. L165, 7.7.93, p.1).