The Vocational Training for General Medical Practice (European Requirements) Regulations 1994

Regulation 2.

SCHEDULE TEXT OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE AS AT THE DATE ON WHICH THESE REGULATIONS WERE MADE

Article 30

Each Member State which dispenses the complete training referred to in Article 23 within its territory shall institute specific training in general medical practice meeting requirements at least as stringent as those laid down in Articles 31 and 32, in such a manner that the first diplomas, certificates or other evidence of formal qualifications awarded on completion of the course are issued not later than 1 January 1990.

Article 31

1.  The specific training in general medical practice referred to in Article 30 must meet the following minimum requirements:

(a) entry shall be conditional upon the successful completion of at least six years' study within the framework of the training course referred to in Article 23;

(b) it shall be a full-time course lasting at least two years, and shall be supervised by the competent authorities or bodies;

(c) it shall be practically rather than theoretically based; the practical instruction shall be given, on the one hand, for at least six months in an approved hospital or clinic with suitable equipment and services and, on the other hand, for at least six months in an approved general medical practice or in an approved centre where doctors provide primary care; it shall be carried out in contact with other health establishments or structures concerned with general medical practice; however, without prejudice to the aforesaid minimum periods, the practical instruction may be given for a maximum period of six months in other approved health establishments or structures concerned with general medical practice;

(d) it shall entail the personal participation of the trainee in the professional activities and responsibilities of the persons with whom he works.

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3.  Member States shall make the issue of diplomas, certificates, or other evidence of formal qualifications awarded after specific training in general medical practice, conditional upon the candidate’s holding one of the diplomas, certificates or other evidence of formal qualifications referred to in Article 3.

Article 34

1.  Without prejudice to the principle of full-time training laid down in Article 31(1)(b), Member States may authorize specific part-time training in general medical practice in addition to full-time training where the following particular conditions are met:

• the total duration of training may not be shortened because it is being followed on a part-time basis,

• the weekly duration of part-time training may not be less than 60% of weekly full-time training,

• part-time training must include a certain number of full-time training periods, both for the training conducted at a hospital or clinic and for the training given in an approved medical practice or in an approved centre where doctors provide primary care.These full-time training periods shall be of sufficient number and duration as to provide adequate preparation for the effective exercise of general medical practice.

2.  Part-time training must be of a level of quality equivalent to that of full-time training.It shall lead to a diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualification, as referred to in Article 30.

Article 36

1.  From 1 January 1995, and subject to the acquired rights it has recognized, each Member State shall make the exercise of general medical practice under its national social security scheme conditional on possession of a diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualification as referred to in Article 30.

However, Member States may exempt from this condition persons who are undergoing specific training in general medical practice.

2.  Each Member State shall specify the acquired rights that it recognizes. However, it shall recognize the right to exercise the activities of general medical practitioner under its national social security scheme without the diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualification referred to in Article 30 as having been acquired by all those doctors who on 31 December 1994 possess such a right pursuant to Articles 1 to 20 and who are established on its territory on that date by virtue of Article 2 or 9(1)

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4.  The competent authorities of each Member State shall issue on request a certificate granting doctors possessing acquired rights by virtue of paragraph 2 the right to practise as general medical practitioners under its national social security scheme without the diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications referred to in Article 30.

5.  Nothing in paragraph 1 shall prejudice the possibility, which is open to Member States, of granting, in accordance with their own rules and in respect of their own territory, the right to practise as general practitioners under a social security scheme to persons who do not possess diplomas, certificates or other formal evidence of medical training and of specific training in general medical practice obtained in both cases in a Member State, but who possess diplomas, certificates or other evidence of either or both of these types of training obtained in a non-member country.

Article 37

1.  Each Member State shall recognize under its national social security scheme, for the purposes of the exercise of the activities of general medical practitioner, the diplomas, certificates, or other evidence of formal qualifications referred to in Article 30, issued to nationals of Member States by other Member States in accordance with Articles 31, 32, 34 and 35.

2.  Each Member State shall recognize the certificates referred to in Article 36(4) issued to nationals of Member States by other Member States, and shall consider them as equivalent within its territory to the diplomas, certificates or other evidence of formal qualifications which it issues itself, and which permit the exercise of the activities of general medical practitioner under its national social security scheme.