HC Deb 08 June 1993 vol 226 cc239-40W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a doctor may work in private practice in the United Kingdom without registering with the General Medical Council; to what extent doctors struck off by the GMC may continue to practise; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

The activities of doctors in the United Kingdom are regulated by the Medical Act 1983. All doctors seeking to practise medicine in this country, whether in the national health service, armed services or in private practice, must be registered with the General Medical Council.

health care facilities and consider whether these should be better publicised. With this information, family health services authorities were able to identify gaps in the services they provided and develop proposals for closing them.

Regional health authorities were asked to submit bids in order of preference. FHSAs have been asked to provide reports on each project at six monthly intervals describing progress made and setting out expenditure incurred.

A doctor whose name has been erased from the medical register by the General Medical Council is not permitted to continue practising medicine in this country. A doctor's registration may also have conditions imposed upon it.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what jurisdiction the General Medical Council has over unregistered doctors practising private medicine in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Mawhinney

The General Medical Council has no jurisdiction over doctors who do not obtain registration with it to practise in this country. Under section 49 of the Medical Act 1983, it is a criminal offence to pose as a registered medical practitioner and in such cases jurisdiction would rest with the courts.