Medical Act 1983
What this means for your business
- Enforced by
- MHRA
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 7 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
What you must do
7 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Appointments 1
Appoint only fully registered medical practitioners with a licence
If your organisation appoints a doctor, surgeon or other medical officer for a hospital, prison, armed forces service or any public body, you must make sure the person is fully registered with the medical regulator and holds a practising licence. The same rule applies to foreign doctors working in hospitals set up solely for foreigners, but they must meet the specific foreign qualification test and can only work in that resident‑physician role.
Management duties 1
Provide approved practice setting with governance for newly registered doctors
If you employ a doctor who has just been fully registered or has just had their name restored to the medical register, you must make sure they work only in a practice setting that the General Council recognises as acceptable for newly registered/restored doctors. That setting must have a quality‑assured governance system that includes supervision, appraisal and assessment arrangements.
Notifications 1
Submit written appeal to the Registrar within 28 days
If you are a medical practitioner and you receive a decision from a licensing authority that you want to challenge, you must send a written notice of appeal to the Registrar within 28 days of getting that decision. If the decision notice was posted and you can show you didn’t receive it within 14 days, you can ask the Registrar to extend the 28‑day limit.
Offences and prohibitions 2
Pretend to be a registered medical professional
Unlimited fineIf you deliberately claim, use or display a title such as physician, doctor, surgeon, general practitioner or apothecary that suggests you are legally registered under the Medical Act 1983, you commit an offence. On conviction in the magistrates' court you can be ordered to pay an unlimited fine. There is no prison term attached to this offence.
Pretend to hold a medical licence to practise
Unlimited fineIf you, or anyone acting for your business, claim to be a licensed medical practitioner when you do not hold a licence, you are committing an offence. On a summary conviction in the magistrates' court you can be fined up to level 5 on the standard scale (effectively an unlimited fine). No jail term is provided for this offence.
Registration and licensing 1
Apply for Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
If you are a doctor, you must apply to the General Council for a Certificate of Completion of Training once you have finished an approved training programme in general practice or a recognised specialty. The Registrar will only issue the certificate if you are a registered medical practitioner and can prove you have successfully completed the approved training. The certificate can be withdrawn if it was obtained fraudulently or awarded incorrectly.
Reporting and filing 1
Provide qualification information to the General Council
If your business offers medical qualifications, you must give the General Council any details it asks for about your courses, examinations, age requirements and the criteria for the qualification. Supplying this information helps the Council maintain the required standard of proficiency.
Penalties for non-compliance
2 penalties under this legislation. 2 carry an unlimited fine.
Pretend to be a registered medical professional
Unlimited fine
Pretend to hold a medical licence to practise
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
135 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 25
- Schedule 1 The General Medical Council and its Committees, and the Branch Councils differing considerations relating
- s.3 Registration by virtue of primary United Kingdom or primary European qualifications. person whose fitness
- s.6 Further powers of the General Council. above
- s.7 Power to appoint visitors of medical schools. other matters relating
- s.21BA Further provision relating to the registration of specified state professionals the Council
- s.29C Dealing with questions as to impairment of fitness to practise The Registrar
- s.29GA Information for specified state professionals
- s.29D Restoration of licence
- s.29B Grant, refusal and withdrawal of licence
- s.30 The registers. Registrar
- s.34H Postgraduate medical education and training: general functions other matters relating
- s.34E Applications for inclusion in the General Practitioner Register or the Specialist Register Regulations under this section
- s.34L Award and withdrawal of a Certificate of Completion of Training person who applies
- s.34D The Specialist Register The General Council
- s.34 Publication of the registers
- s.34F Removal of names from the General Practitioner Register and the Specialist Register
- s.35E Provisions supplementary to section 35D
- s.35B Notification and disclosure by the General Council individual practitioner
- s.44BA Fitness to practise of exempt persons: sufficient evidence certificate referred
- s.44D Approved practice settings above
- ... and 5 more duties
Offences and penalties 4
Powers 23
- s.8 Power to add further qualifying examinations.
- s.13 Power to appoint visitors of approved hospitals.
- s.27A Temporary registration for visiting eminent specialists
- s.27B Special purpose registration
- s.29J Miscellaneous
- s.29EA Disclosure by a licensing authority of information relating to revalidation
- s.29E Evidence
- s.29G Guidance
- s.30A The register: emergency powers doctors list
- s.31 Power to make regulations with respect to the registers.
- s.31A Voluntary removal from ... any of the registers.
- s.34N Power to require information
- s.34C The General Practitioner Register
- s.34M Visitors
- s.34A Proof of registration
- s.34I Postgraduate medical education and training: approvals
- s.34O Fees
- s.35 General Council’s power to advise on conduct, performance or ethics
- s.38 Power to order immediate suspension etc.
- s.39 Fraud or error in relation to registration
- ... and 3 more powers
Definitions 28
- s.1 The General Medical Council.
- Schedule 3 Registration: Supplementary Provisions
- s.4 Qualifying examinations and primary United Kingdom qualifications.
- s.5 General functions of the General Council in relation to medical education in the United Kingdom.
- s.10A Programmes for provisionally registered doctors
- s.14 Alternative requirements as to experience in certain cases.
- s.15A Provisional registration for EEA nationals etc
- s.16 Registration of qualifications.
- s.17 Primary qualifications obtained in ... relevant European States.
- s.29H Notices
- s.29A Regulations as to licence to practise and revalidation
- s.34G Acquired rights of general practitioners
- s.35C Functions of the Investigation Committee
- s.35A General Council’s power to require disclosure of information
- s.35D Functions of a Medical Practitioners Tribunal
- s.40 Appeals ...
- s.40A Appeals by General Council
- s.41A Interim Orders
- s.45F Interpretation of Part 5A
- s.45E Regulations under section 45A: supplementary provisions
- ... and 8 more definitions
Exemptions 11
- s.2 Registration of medical practitioners.
- s.18A Temporary registration with regard to emergencies involving loss of human life or human illness etc.
- s.19 Full registration of EEA nationals etc. by virtue of overseas primary qualifications etc.
- s.21B Full registration of persons with an overseas qualification
- s.21C Provisional registration of persons with an overseas qualification
- s.32 Registration fees.
- s.35CC Provisions supplementary to section 35C
- s.40B Appeal under section 40A: role of Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
- s.41 Restoration of names to the register.
- s.46 Recovery of fees.
- s.51 Exercise of powers to make Orders in Council and other orders.