The General and Specialist Medical Practice (Education, Training and Qualifications) Order 2003

General practitioners eligible for entry in the General Practitioner Register

11.—(1) A person is an eligible general practitioner for the purposes of article 10(2)(b) if he holds—

(a) a vocational training certificate or a certificate of acquired rights issued in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom in accordance with Title IV of the Directive, and he is—

(i) a national of an EEA State, or

(ii) a person who for the purposes of access to and the practice of the medical profession is entitled to be treated in the same way as such a national in order to enable an enforceable Community right to be exercised;

(b) a certificate of prescribed experience; or

(c) a certificate of equivalent experience.

(2) A person is also an eligible general practitioner for the purposes of article 10(2)(b) if he was exempt from the need to have acquired the prescribed experience by virtue of regulation 5(1)(a), (b), (c), (d) or (f) of—

(a) the Vocational Training Regulations (exemptions);

(b) the Vocational Training Regulations (Scotland) (exemptions); or

(c) the Vocational Training Regulations (Northern Ireland) (exemptions),

but if a restricted services principal is eligible for inclusion in the General Practitioner Register only by virtue of an exemption under regulation 5(1)(d) of the regulations set out in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), the Registrar of the GMC shall ensure that the restriction on his right to practise as provided for in article 10(7) is indicated in that person’s entry in the General Practitioner Register in such manner as the Registrar thinks fit.

(3) A person is also an eligible general practitioner for the purposes of article 10(2)(b) if he does not fall within paragraph (1) or (2) but he has—

(a) undertaken training in general practice; or

(b) been awarded qualifications in general practice,

and he satisfies the Board that that training is, or those qualifications are, or both when considered together are, equivalent to a CCT in general practice.

(4) If a person falls within paragraph (3) and—

(a) he is also a person falling within sub-paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) of paragraph (1), and he has qualifications in general practice awarded outside the EEA which have been accepted by another EEA State as qualifying him to practise as a general practitioner in that State; or

(b) he has acquired experience or knowledge in general practice, wherever obtained,

the Board shall, when considering whether it is satisfied as mentioned in paragraph (3), take account of that acceptance or of that experience or knowledge.

(5) If the Board is not satisfied, having taken into account the matters specified in paragraph (4) (where applicable), that a person’s training, qualifications, or both when considered together are equivalent to a CCT in general practice, the Board shall give reasons as to why it is not satisfied, and, in particular, shall inform the person of—

(a) the period of additional training that the person must undertake, and the fields to be covered by it;

(b) any examination, assessment (including a specified period of assessment) or other test of competence that the person must complete to the Board’s satisfaction,

in order to satisfy the Board under paragraph (3).

(6) In respect of any application under paragraph (3), the Board shall notify the applicant of its decision (and, where relevant, of the matters set out in paragraph (5)), in accordance with its duty under article 16(4).

(7) If the Board is satisfied, pursuant to paragraph (3), that a person’s training, qualifications, or both when considered together are equivalent to a CCT in general practice, it shall, if the person so requests, issue to that person a written statement attesting to the fact that the person has satisfied the Board that he is eligible for entry in the General Practitioner Register (“statement of eligibility for registration”).

(8) The Board shall make rules as to the procedure to be followed in relation to and by persons applying to the Board under paragraph (3), including rules as to the evidence it requires in support of such an application.