Qualifications of ophthalmic medical practitioners
42.—(1) The prescribed qualifications and experience which a medical practitioner is to possess to be recognised as an ophthalmic medical practitioner are that the medical practitioner (at the date of consideration of that person’s application under regulations 4 and 39)—
(a)has recent and adequate experience;
(b)has held—
(i)an appointment in the health service, otherwise than under Part 4 of the National Health Service Act 1946(1), Part 2 of the National Health Service Act 1977(2) or Part IV of the 2006 Act, with the status of consultant ophthalmologist, or
(ii)an appointment for a period of not less than 2 years of equivalent status as ophthalmic surgeon or assistant ophthalmic surgeon on the staff of an approved ophthalmic hospital; or
(c)has—
(i)obtained the Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, or any approved higher degree or qualification, and
(ii)held one or more ophthalmic appointments in an approved ophthalmic hospital for a period totalling not less than 2 years, which must include tenure for a period totalling not less than 6 months of a residential appointment or an appointment with duties comparable with those of a residential appointment: this is subject to paragraph (3).
(2) In this regulation “approved” means approved by the Committee or by the appeal committee on appeal from the Committee under regulation 43 or 44.
(3) The tenure for 6 months of a residential or comparable appointment referred to in paragraph (1)(c)(ii) is not required in the case of a medical practitioner who has been fully registered for at least 7 years.