Interpretation
2.—(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,
“the principal rules” means the General Medical Council Preliminary Proceedings Committee and Professional Conduct Committee (Procedure) Rules 1988(1);
“the Act”, “the Council”, “the President”, “the Registrar”, “the legal assessor”, “the Solicitor”, “complainant”, “party” and “person acting in a public capacity” have the meanings assigned to them in rule 2 of the principal rules, and those meanings shall also apply for the purpose of those of the princial rules which are applied by rules 6 and 14;
“practitioner” means a registered EC practitioner or a visiting EC practitioner who is the subject of an inquiry under these rules;
“case relating to disqualification” means a case where it is alleged that an EC practitioner has been registered as a fully registered medical practitioner when a disqualifying decision was in force in respect of him;
“case relating to conviction or conduct” means a case where it is alleged that a visiting EC practitioner has been convicted of a criminal offence in any member State of the Communities where he was practising medicine or has been guilty of serious professional misconduct;
“disqualifying decision” has the meaning assigned to it by section 44(2) of the Act;
“registered EC practitioner” means a person who has been registered as a fully registered medical practitioner by virtue of section 3(b) of the Act;
“visiting EC practitioner” means a national of a member State of the Communities who holds medical qualifications entitling him to registration under section 3(b) of the Act but is not so registered and who renders medical services while visiting the United Kingdom by virtue of section 18(1) of the Act.
(2) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a)a reference to a numbered rule shall be to the rule bearing that number in these rules; and
(b)a reference to a numbered or lettered paragraph shall be to the paragraph bearing that number or letter in that rule.
Approved by S.I. 1988/2255.