History of medical regulation in the UK
Encyclopedia
The aim of medical regulation
is to ensure that medicine
is only practised by qualified and suitable people. The history of regulating doctors in the UK dates back around 600 years. The earliest licensing procedures were administered by the Church, with professional associations and universities also playing a role. Modern regulation of doctors is carried out by the General Medical Council
.
Despite agreement in principle from parliament, little more appeared to happen until 1511, when a statute placed regulation of the medical profession in the hands of the bishops. John Raach wrote that “the Church was apparently considered the one institution whose influence was extensive and potent enough to be effective in suppressing quacks and licensing the members of the medical profession”. Raach further suggested that as a learned profession, medicine “could not be relegated to regulation by the average county official”. Clerics, often the most highly educated members of society, were better suited to the task. Medicine and religion were also closely entwined: healing had long been associated with the supernatural, while the events of birth and death involved both medics and clerics.
The purpose of the 1511 statute was to eliminate unqualified practitioners, and to that end it provided for a financial reward for those who reported them.
In 1518, the College of Physicians
was founded and took over licensing of doctors in London. The College was founded by physicians themselves, meaning that in London the licensing of medicine was in the hands of the profession, rather than the bishop. Various disputes arose between the College, universities, and bishops over their authority to license and recognise each others’ qualifications.
As doctors often covered large areas, crossing diocesan boundaries, they often required licenses from several bishops. At some point – it is unclear precisely when – archbishops were empowered to issue licenses for multiple dioceses. In the early seventeenth century, nearly a quarter of doctors received their licenses from archbishops.
Apothecaries Act 1815
The Apothecaries Act introduced compulsory apprenticeship and formal qualifications for apothecaries
, in modern terms general practitioners, under the license of the Society of Apothecaries.
marks the start of the modern period of medical regulation in the UK. The purpose of the Act was to create the body now known as the General Medical Council – then known as The General Council of Medical Education and Registration of the United Kingdom. Explaining its purpose, the Act says "it is expedient that Persons requiring Medical Aid should be enabled to distinguish qualified from unqualified Practitioners".
The Act created the position of Registrar of the General Medical Council — an office still in existence today — whose duty is to keep up-to-date records of those registered to practise medicine and to make them publicly available.
The 1950 Medical Act introduced disciplinary boards and a right of appeal to the General Medical Council. It formally renamed the Council to the name that had informally been used for some time: the General Medical Council. It also introduced a compulsory year of training for doctors after their university qualification, a training position which has developed into the current Foundation House Officer
role.
Summing up the Act, the British Medical Journal
wrote, “In future, the GMC will be possessed of wider powers, improved machinery, and a better status, all serving to ensure the continued and enhanced confidence of the profession and the public alike.”
The Medical Act 1983 provides the current statutory basis for the General Medical Council’s functions. The Council is also bound by laws that implement a European directive on mutual recognition of professional qualifications from European Economic Area
countries.
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
is to ensure that medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
is only practised by qualified and suitable people. The history of regulating doctors in the UK dates back around 600 years. The earliest licensing procedures were administered by the Church, with professional associations and universities also playing a role. Modern regulation of doctors is carried out by the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
.
Early licensing
The earliest reference to medical regulation in the UK dates from 1421, when physicians petitioned parliament to ask that nobody without appropriate qualifications be allowed to practise medicine. The doctors said that unqualified practitioners caused “great harm and slaughter of many men”.Despite agreement in principle from parliament, little more appeared to happen until 1511, when a statute placed regulation of the medical profession in the hands of the bishops. John Raach wrote that “the Church was apparently considered the one institution whose influence was extensive and potent enough to be effective in suppressing quacks and licensing the members of the medical profession”. Raach further suggested that as a learned profession, medicine “could not be relegated to regulation by the average county official”. Clerics, often the most highly educated members of society, were better suited to the task. Medicine and religion were also closely entwined: healing had long been associated with the supernatural, while the events of birth and death involved both medics and clerics.
The purpose of the 1511 statute was to eliminate unqualified practitioners, and to that end it provided for a financial reward for those who reported them.
In 1518, the College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
was founded and took over licensing of doctors in London. The College was founded by physicians themselves, meaning that in London the licensing of medicine was in the hands of the profession, rather than the bishop. Various disputes arose between the College, universities, and bishops over their authority to license and recognise each others’ qualifications.
As doctors often covered large areas, crossing diocesan boundaries, they often required licenses from several bishops. At some point – it is unclear precisely when – archbishops were empowered to issue licenses for multiple dioceses. In the early seventeenth century, nearly a quarter of doctors received their licenses from archbishops.
Apothecaries Act 1815
The Apothecaries Act introduced compulsory apprenticeship and formal qualifications for apothecaries
Apothecary
Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
, in modern terms general practitioners, under the license of the Society of Apothecaries.
General Medical Council
The Medical Act 1858Medical Act 1858
The Medical Act 1858 was a British Act of Parliament which created the General Medical Council to regulate doctors in the UK.Describing its purpose, the act notes that "it is expedient that Persons requiring Medical Aid should be enabled to distinguish qualified from unqualified Practitioners".The...
marks the start of the modern period of medical regulation in the UK. The purpose of the Act was to create the body now known as the General Medical Council – then known as The General Council of Medical Education and Registration of the United Kingdom. Explaining its purpose, the Act says "it is expedient that Persons requiring Medical Aid should be enabled to distinguish qualified from unqualified Practitioners".
The Act created the position of Registrar of the General Medical Council — an office still in existence today — whose duty is to keep up-to-date records of those registered to practise medicine and to make them publicly available.
The 1950 Medical Act introduced disciplinary boards and a right of appeal to the General Medical Council. It formally renamed the Council to the name that had informally been used for some time: the General Medical Council. It also introduced a compulsory year of training for doctors after their university qualification, a training position which has developed into the current Foundation House Officer
Foundation House Officer
A Foundation Doctor is a grade of medical practitioner in the United Kingdom undertaking the Foundation Programme - a two-year, general postgraduate medical training programme which forms the bridge between medical school and specialist/general practice training...
role.
Summing up the Act, the British Medical Journal
British Medical Journal
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
wrote, “In future, the GMC will be possessed of wider powers, improved machinery, and a better status, all serving to ensure the continued and enhanced confidence of the profession and the public alike.”
The Medical Act 1983 provides the current statutory basis for the General Medical Council’s functions. The Council is also bound by laws that implement a European directive on mutual recognition of professional qualifications from European Economic Area
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
countries.