These Regulations prescribe the description of medical practice which may be approved for the purposes of employing a Pre-Registration House Officer (“PRHO”) pursuant to section 10 or 15A of the Medical Act 1983, and also prescribe the conditions of residence with which a PRHO must comply throughout the period of such employment.

As a consequence of the above, regulation 4 further amends the General Medical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 which regulate the terms on which general medical services are provided under the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972. In particular, they amend Schedule 2 to those Regulations (doctors' terms of service) to include a PRHO in the definition of those whom a doctor may engage to act as his deputy, and Schedule 12 (information to be included in practice leaflets) in order to ensure that the role of a PRHO is explained to patients of the members of the practice.

Section 11 of the Medical Act 1983, one of the enabling provisions under which these Regulations are made, is amended by section 53 of the Health and Personal Social Services Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (“the 2001 Act”). The provisions of the 2001 Act which amend the Medical Act 1983 in relation to the training of Pre-Registration House Officers is brought into operation on 2nd July 2001 by virtue of the Health and Personal Social Services Northern Ireland (2001 Act) (Commencement No. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001 (S.R. 2001 No. 128 (C. 5)).