The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2007

Amendment of section 36

187.  In section 36(1) (interpretation), in subsection (1)—

(a) after the definition of “electronic communication” insert—

““exempt person”, in relation to the profession of optometrist or the profession of dispensing optician, means—

(a)

a national of a relevant European State other than the United Kingdom;

(b)

a national of the United Kingdom who is seeking access to, or is pursuing, the profession by virtue of an enforceable Community right; or

(c)

a person who is not a national of a relevant European State but who is, by virtue of an enforceable Community right, entitled to be treated, for the purposes of access to and pursuit of the profession, no less favourably than a national of a relevant European State;”;

(b) after the definition of “functions” insert—

““General Systems Regulations” means the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2781);”;

(c) in the definition of “individual registrant”, for “section 7 or 8A” substitute “section 7, 8A or 8B”;

(d) in the definition of “register”—

(i) after paragraph (c) insert—

“(ca) the registers of visiting optometrists from relevant European States and visiting dispensing opticians from relevant European States maintained under section 8B;”, and

(ii) for “except where used in relation to medical practitioners” substitute “except in the expressions “registered medical practitioner”, “registered dispensing optician” and “registered optometrist””;

(e) after the definition of “register” insert—

““registered dispensing optician” means a person whose name is in the register of dispensing opticians maintained under section 7 or in the register of visiting dispensing opticians from relevant European States maintained under section 8B;

“registered optometrist” means a person whose name is in the register of optometrists maintained under section 7 or in the register of visiting optometrists from relevant European States maintained under section 8B;”; and

(f) after the definition of “registrant” insert—

““relevant European State” means an EEA State or Switzerland;”.

(1)

Section 36 was amended by S.I. 2005/848.