Medical Act 1983 (c. 54)

Part III U.K. Registration of Persons Qualifying Overseas

19 Full registration of persons by virtue of recognised overseas qualifications U.K.

(1) Where a person satisfies the Registrar—

(a) that he holds one or more recognised overseas qualifications;

(b) that he has the necessary knowledge of English [F1 or is an exempt person]; and

(c) that he is of good character,

and satisfies the requirements of section 20 below as to experience, that person shall, if the General Council think fit so to direct, be registered under this section as a fully registered medical practitioner.

[F2 (1A) Subsection (1B) below applies where a national of an EEA State, or a person to whom subsection (4) below applies, makes an application for registration under this section and either—

(a) he holds a qualification granted outside the European Economic Area which is not a recognised overseas qualification but which has been accepted by another EEA State as qualifying him to practise as a medical practitioner in that State; or

(b) he has acquired medical experience or knowledge in another EEA State.

(1B) In determining the application, the General Council—

(a) shall take the acceptance of the qualification, or the experience and knowledge, into account; and

(b) in a case falling within subsection (1A)(a) above, may treat the qualification as if it were a recognised overseas qualification.]

(2) In this Act a “recognised overseas qualification” means any qualification granted outside the United Kingdom and for the time being recognised by the General Council for the purposes of this section as furnishing a sufficient guarantee of the possession of knowledge and skill corresponding with the prescribed knowledge and skill and as having been granted by virtue of the passing of an examination at which the standard of proficiency required corresponds with the prescribed standard of proficiency.

[F3 (3) In this section “exempt person” means—

(a) a national of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom;

(b) a national of the United Kingdom who is exercising an enforceable Community right; or

(c) a person to whom subsection (4) below applies.

(4) This subsection applies to any person who—

(a) is not a national of an EEA State, but

(b) is, by virtue of a right conferred by article 11 of Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68, or any other enforceable Community right, entitled to be treated, for the purposes of access to the medical profession, no less favourably than a national of such a State.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 19(1)(b) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 6(1)

F2 S. 19(1A)(1B) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 6(2)

F3 S. 19(3)(4) inserted (10.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1591, reg. 6(3)