The General and Specialist Medical Practice (Education, Training and Qualifications) Order 2003

Recognised specialist qualifications

15.—(1) The following are recognised specialist qualifications for the purposes of article 14(3)—

(a) a CCST;

(b) a specialist qualification listed in Schedule 7 granted in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom in a specialty in which the United Kingdom awards a qualification as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3;

(c) a specialist qualification which—

(i) was awarded in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom,

(ii) was awarded in a specialty in which the United Kingdom awards such a qualification as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3,

(iii) does not satisfy all the minimum training requirements laid down by the Directive,

(iv) was awarded following training begun before the relevant date, and

(v) is accompanied by a certificate from the competent authority in the EEA State in which the qualification was awarded or in which its holder has subsequently become established, stating that the holder has been engaged in the practice of his specialty for at least the period required by article 9(2) of the Directive;

(d) a specialist qualification in a specialty in which the United Kingdom awards such a qualification as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3 which—

(i) has been obtained at any time in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom,

(ii) does not conform with the designations set out in Schedule 7 or Annex C of the Directive (which together set out the relevant specialist qualifications awarded in EEA States), and

(iii) is accompanied by a certificate of the competent authorities of that State to the effect that the qualification was awarded following training in accordance with the provisions of articles 24, 25, 26 or 29 of the Directive (which set out the minimum standards of training for specialist qualifications) and is treated by that State as if it were a qualification set out under the heading relating to the State in Schedule 7 or Annex C of the Directive;

(e) a specialist qualification which—

(i) was awarded in Spain to doctors who completed specialist training before 1st January 1995 that did not comply with the minimum requirements laid down in articles 24 to 26 of the Directive,

(ii) was awarded in a specialty in which the United Kingdom awards such a qualification as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3, and

(iii) is accompanied by a certificate awarded by the competent Spanish authorities attesting to the fact that the person concerned has passed the test of specific professional competence organised in accordance with article 9(2a) of the Directive with the aim of verifying that the person concerned has a level of knowledge and competence comparable to that of doctors holding the specialist qualification listed in relation to Spain in Schedule 7; and

(f) a specialist qualification in a specialty listed in Part 1 of Schedule 3—

(i) which is evidence of training which does not accord with the standards laid down by articles 24 to 26 of the Directive, undertaken on the territory of the former German Democratic Republic and begun before 3rd April 1992,

(ii) where the holder of the qualification satisfies the GMC (by means of a certificate of the competent authorities in Germany or otherwise) that he is entitled by virtue of that qualification to practise his specialty throughout the territory of Germany on the same conditions as the holder of a qualification awarded in Germany and listed in Schedule 7 and Annex C of the Directive, and

(iii) where evidence of the qualification is accompanied by a certificate of the competent authorities in Germany that the holder has practised his specialty in Germany for the period referred to in article 9(4) of the Directive (training in the former German Democratic Republic).

(2) In paragraph (1)(c), “the relevant date” means—

(a) 1st January 1981, in the case of a qualification granted in Greece;

(b) 1st January 1986, in the case of a qualification granted in Spain or Portugal;

(c) 1st January 1994, in the case of a qualification granted in Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden;

(d) 1st May 1995, in the case of a qualification granted in Liechtenstein;

(e) 1st June 2002, in the case of a qualification granted in Switzerland; or

(f) 20th December 1976, in the case of a qualification granted in any other EEA State.