http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/17/section/25/notesHealth careNational Health Service (NHS)NHS managementCareHealth and social care professionalsExplanatory Notes to National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002Department of HealthKing's Printer of Acts of Parliament2018-08-30 17 25 June 2002 132 Parliament has established statutory frameworks for a number of health care professions within which the professions regulate themselves.  For the most part there are separate enactments for each professional group (doctors; dentists; nurses, midwives and health visitors; opticians; pharmacists; osteopaths; chiropractors and the twelve professions coming within the remit of the Health Professions Council).  Each of these groups has its own regulatory body operating within its own legal framework: The General Medical Council – Medical Act 1983 The General Dental Council – Dentists Act 1984 The Nursing and Midwifery Council – Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 The General Optical Council – Opticians Act 1989 The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain – Pharmacy Act 1954, Medicines Act 1968 (and in Northern Ireland, The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland – Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 The General Osteopaths Council – Osteopaths Act 1993 The General Chiropractic Council – Chiropractors Act 1994 The Health Professions Council – Health Professions Order 2001 133 The different enactments make provisions which, with very few exceptions, could until recently only be changed by means of primary legislation.  Section 60 and Schedule 3 of the Health Act, therefore provided a framework within which Her Majesty by Order in Council can modify the enactments affecting professional regulation and regulate any other health care profession.