Article 40

SCHEDULE 3U.K.[F1DIRECTIVE 2005/36: FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL UNDER ARTICLE 40(2)

Provision of DirectiveFunction of Council
[F2Article 4a

Ensuring that the holder of a European professional card benefits from all of the rights conferred by articles 4b to 4e of the Directive.

Charging reasonable fees to cover the costs of processing applications for or in relation to European professional cards under Schedule 2B and under Part 4 of the General Systems Regulations.

Article 4bEnabling nurses responsible for general care to apply for a European professional card in accordance with Schedule 2B and in accordance with Part 4 of the General Systems Regulations.
Article 4cVerifying the application and supporting documents in the IMI file and issuing the European professional card for nurses responsible for general care for the temporary and occasional provision of nursing services other than those covered by article 7(4) of the Directive.
Article 4dVerifying the authenticity and validity of the application and supporting documents in the IMI file for the purpose of issuing the European professional card for nurses responsible for general care for establishment or for the temporary and occasional provision of nursing services under article 7(4) of the Directive.
Article 4eUpdating, in a timely manner, the IMI file of a holder of a European professional card with information about disciplinary actions or criminal sanctions regarding a prohibition or restriction and which have consequences for the pursuit of any professional activities by that person the under the Directive.
Article 4fConsidering applications for partial access to the profession of nursing and midwifery under regulations 10 and 11 of the General Systems Regulations.]
Article 7(2)(b)Issuing certificates containing attestations in relation to persons established in the United Kingdom as nurses responsible for general care or midwives.
Article 8(1) [F3In the event of justified doubts, receiving] information from, or providing information to, other competent authorities in relation to—
(a)the legality of a person's establishment as a nurse responsible for general care or midwife;
(b)the good conduct of such a person;
(c)the absence of any disciplinary or criminal sanctions of a professional nature against such a person.
[F4Receiving information from, or providing information to, other competent authorities in relation to a person's training courses to the extent necessary to assess substantial differences likely to be harmful to public health and safety.]
Article 8(2)Receiving information from, or providing information to, other competent authorities in connection with the investigation of complaints made against persons providing services as a nurse responsible for general care or as a midwife.
Article 23(1)

Issuing certificates of effective and lawful practice in the United Kingdom to—

(a) nurses responsible for general care; and

(b) midwives.

Article 23(6)

Issuing certificates stating—

(a) that UK nursing qualifications, which do not correspond to the titles set out in respect of the United Kingdom at point 5.2.2 of Annex V to the Directive, certify successful completion of nursing training that is in accordance with article 31 of the Directive (training of nurses responsible for general care) or that under article 22(a) of the Directive (part-time training) is to be treated as in accordance with article 31 of the Directive;

(b) that UK midwifery qualifications, which do not correspond to the titles set out in respect of the United Kingdom at point 5.5.2 of Annex V to the Directive, certify successful completion of training in midwifery that is in accordance with article 40 of the Directive (training of midwives) or that under article 22(a) of the Directive is to be treated as in accordance with article 40 of the Directive.

Article 41Issuing certificates of professional practice in the United Kingdom to midwives.
Article 43(1)Issuing certificates of effective and lawful practice in the United Kingdom to midwives.
Article 50(1) and paragraph 1(d) of Annex VIIIssuing, in respect of practice as a nurse responsible for general care or as a midwife, the certificates of current professional status referred to in sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph 1 of Annex VII to the Directive within the time limits set by that sub-paragraph.
Article 50(1) and paragraph 2 of Annex VIIIssuing certificates stating that evidence of UK nursing qualifications or UK midwifery qualifications is that covered by the Directive.
Article 50(2)In cases of justified doubts—
(a)requiring confirmation of the authenticity of non-UK nursing qualifications or non-UK midwifery qualifications;
(b)requiring confirmation that holders of non-UK nursing qualifications or non-UK midwifery qualifications satisfy the minimum training conditions set out in article 31 or 40 of the Directive (as the case may be) or under article 22(a) of the Directive are to be treated as satisfying those conditions;
(c)providing confirmation to competent authorities of other relevant European States of the authenticity of any person's UK nursing qualifications or UK midwifery qualifications;
(d)providing confirmation that holders of UK nursing qualifications or UK midwifery qualifications satisfy the minimum training conditions set out in article 31 or 40 of the Directive (as the case may be) or under article 22(a) of the Directive are to be treated as satisfying those conditions.
Article 50(3)In cases of justified doubts—
(a)verifying information provided in connection with non-UK nursing qualifications or non-UK midwifery qualifications awarded following training in a relevant European State other than the State in which the qualification was awarded;
(b)providing information in connection with a person's UK nursing qualifications or UK midwifery qualifications awarded following training in another relevant European State.
[F5Article 50(3a) In the event of justified doubts, seeking confirmation from, or providing confirmation to, other competent authorities of the fact that the applicant is not suspended or prohibited from the pursuit of the profession of nursing and midwifery as a result of serious professional misconduct or conviction of criminal offences relating to the pursuit of any of the applicant's professional activities.
Article 50(3b)

Ensuring that the exchange of information under article 50 of the Directive with other competent authorities takes place through

the IMI.]

[F6Article 53 Ensuring that any language controls imposed on a nurse or midwife are compliant with article 53 of the Directive.]
Article 56(1)Ensuring the confidentiality of information exchanged with other competent authorities.
Article 56(2)Receiving information from, or providing information to, other competent authorities regarding disciplinary action, criminal sanctions or other serious circumstances likely to have consequences for the practice of the professions of nurse responsible for general care or midwife.
Where such information is received by the Council—
(a)examining the veracity of the circumstances;
(b)deciding the nature and scope of any investigations that need to be carried out;
(c)informing other competent authorities of the Council's conclusions.]
[F7Ensuring that the processing of personal data for the purposes of the exchange of information in accordance with article 56(2) of the Directive is carried out in accordance with Directive 95/46/EC and Directive 2002/58/EC and through the IMI.]
[F8Article 56(2a) Ensuring that the exchange of information carried out in accordance with article 56(2) of the Directive takes place through the IMI.
Article 56a (1) and (2)Informing all other competent authorities, by way of an alert through the IMI, about a nurse or midwife whose professional activities have been restricted or prohibited, even temporarily, within three days from the date of adoption of the decision; ensuring the information provided is limited to the information referred to in article 56a(2) of the Directive.
Article 56a(3)Informing all other competent authorities, by way of an alert through the IMI, about the identity of professionals who have applied for registration and who have been subsequently found to have used falsified evidence of professional qualifications, within three days from the date of the finding.
Article 56a(4)Ensuring that the processing of personal data for the purposes of the exchange of information under article 56a(1) and (3) of the Directive is carried out in accordance with Directive 95/46/EC and Directive 2002/58/EC.
Article 56a(5)

Informing all other competent authorities through the IMI without delay when—

(a) a prohibition or a restriction referred to in article 56a(1) of the Directive has expired;

(b) there is a change to the prohibition period notified under article 56a(2) of the Directive.

Article 56a(6)

Notifying the nurse or midwife, in respect of whom an alert is sent under article 56a(1) or (3) of the Directive, in writing at the same time as the alert is sent, that the nurse or midwife—

(a) is the subject of an alert sent under article 56a(1) or (3) of the Directive;

(b) has the right to appeal the decision or to apply for rectification of the decision;

(c) has the right to access remedies in respect of any damage caused by false alerts sent to other competent authorities.

Informing competent authorities, where applicable, that an alert is the subject of appeal proceedings by the nurse or midwife.

Article 56a(7)

Ensuring that an alert made under article 56a(1) of the Directive is deleted from the IMI within three days of—

(a) the date of adoption of the revoking decision; or

(b) the expiry of the prohibition or restriction referred to in that article.

Article 57a(1)Ensuring that all requirements, procedures and formalities relating to the recognition of qualifications as a nurse or a midwife may be easily completed by the applicant remotely and by electronic means.]