Irish Medical Council
Encyclopedia
Comhairle na nDochtúirí Leighis - Medical Council is the regulator of the medical profession in the Republic of Ireland
. It licenses medical practitioners to practise, and has the power to place restrictions on or revoke such licences, in cases of questions about a doctor's fitness to practise. The President of the Council is Professor Kieran Murphy.
The objective of the Medical Council is to protect the public by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among registered medical practitioners.
Establish and maintain the register of medical practitioners.
Approve and review programmes of education and training necessary for the purposes of registration and continued registration.
Specify and review the standards required for the purpose of the maintenance of professional competence of registered medical practitioners.
Specify standards of practice for registered medical practitioners including providing guidance on all matters related to professional conduct and ethics.
Disciplinary procedures.
The Council consists of 25 members including both elected and appointed members. Under the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act, 2007, the new Council is composed of 13 non-medical members and 12 medical members representing a range of medical specialties, teaching bodies and members of the public and stakeholders. All appointments must be approved by the Minister for Health and Children. The current Council's period of office is 2008 to 2013.
The Medical Council is required by law to establish an Education and Training Committee (known as the Professional Development Committee), a Preliminary Proceedings Committee, a Fitness to Practise Committee and a Health Sub-committee. Only members of the Medical Council may be eligible to Chair the Fitness to Practise Committee and the Preliminary Proceedings Committee. The Council may establish as many committees as it considers necessary to carry out specific functions.
The Medical Council has a staff of 50 who work in the seven divisions of the executive. Each division is managed by the Head of Section, who reports to the Chief Executive Officer. The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 sets out the functions of the CEO and Committees of the Council. It also specifies functions reserved for the Minister for Health and Children, such as approval of the Annual Retention Fee and agreement to the creation of new specialties. The Act gives the CEO an independent responsibility to present disciplinary inquiries to the Fitness to Practise Committee, once a decision has been made that a prima facie case exists for an enquiry. In order to carry out this function, the CEO is empowered to collect evidence and employ legal representatives to present the case.
The Medical Council is funded exclusively by the annual payments of registered medical practitioners; no funds are received from the government exchequer or other external sources. The annual retention fee for a fully registered medical practitioner was set at €490 in 2010.
On 1 January 2009 there were 18,161 medical practitioners, including various registration categories, registered with the Medical Council.
, South Africa
and Singapore
, have a central regulator similar to Comhairle na nDochtúirí Leighis - Medical Council. In the USA and Australia
, each state has its own regulatory board for doctors. In Germany
, each state has an Ärztekammer with lawful authority to regulate the medical profession, there is no federal level authority for the Federal Republic of Germany. Nevertheless, the Bundesärztekammer, a voluntary association of private law, was founded to support the professions' interests. The General Medical Council
is the regulator for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It licenses medical practitioners to practise, and has the power to place restrictions on or revoke such licences, in cases of questions about a doctor's fitness to practise. The President of the Council is Professor Kieran Murphy.
The objective of the Medical Council is to protect the public by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among registered medical practitioners.
History
The Council was established by the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 and commenced operation in April 1979.Purpose
The principal functions of the Medical Council include;Establish and maintain the register of medical practitioners.
Approve and review programmes of education and training necessary for the purposes of registration and continued registration.
Specify and review the standards required for the purpose of the maintenance of professional competence of registered medical practitioners.
Specify standards of practice for registered medical practitioners including providing guidance on all matters related to professional conduct and ethics.
Disciplinary procedures.
The Council consists of 25 members including both elected and appointed members. Under the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act, 2007, the new Council is composed of 13 non-medical members and 12 medical members representing a range of medical specialties, teaching bodies and members of the public and stakeholders. All appointments must be approved by the Minister for Health and Children. The current Council's period of office is 2008 to 2013.
The Medical Council is required by law to establish an Education and Training Committee (known as the Professional Development Committee), a Preliminary Proceedings Committee, a Fitness to Practise Committee and a Health Sub-committee. Only members of the Medical Council may be eligible to Chair the Fitness to Practise Committee and the Preliminary Proceedings Committee. The Council may establish as many committees as it considers necessary to carry out specific functions.
Administration
On 15 June 2009, the Medical Council took up residence in a new premises in Kingram House, Kingram Place, Dublin 2. Kingram House, located just off the prestigious Fitzwilliam Square, is a singularly distinctive building characterised by its interesting blend of Georgian and contemporary architecture. Front-of-house, a charming two story listed building, was once home to an infant school and links directly on to a state of the art modern office suite.The Medical Council has a staff of 50 who work in the seven divisions of the executive. Each division is managed by the Head of Section, who reports to the Chief Executive Officer. The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 sets out the functions of the CEO and Committees of the Council. It also specifies functions reserved for the Minister for Health and Children, such as approval of the Annual Retention Fee and agreement to the creation of new specialties. The Act gives the CEO an independent responsibility to present disciplinary inquiries to the Fitness to Practise Committee, once a decision has been made that a prima facie case exists for an enquiry. In order to carry out this function, the CEO is empowered to collect evidence and employ legal representatives to present the case.
The Medical Council is funded exclusively by the annual payments of registered medical practitioners; no funds are received from the government exchequer or other external sources. The annual retention fee for a fully registered medical practitioner was set at €490 in 2010.
On 1 January 2009 there were 18,161 medical practitioners, including various registration categories, registered with the Medical Council.
Other bodies
Many other countries, including New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, have a central regulator similar to Comhairle na nDochtúirí Leighis - Medical Council. In the USA and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, each state has its own regulatory board for doctors. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, each state has an Ärztekammer with lawful authority to regulate the medical profession, there is no federal level authority for the Federal Republic of Germany. Nevertheless, the Bundesärztekammer, a voluntary association of private law, was founded to support the professions' interests. 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...
is the regulator for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.