Inclusion on the specialist register
How to apply to go directly on to the Specialist Register without further training
Since 01 January 1997, it has been a legal requirement that doctors must have their names entered on the GMC's Specialist Register before taking up substantive, honorary or fixed term NHS consultant posts in the UK. Most doctors achieve this by completing a UK training programme resulting in the award of a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST). However doctors who have completed specialist training overseas may be eligible for direct entry to the Specialist Register without undergoing further training in the UK.
The rules about entry to the Specialist Register are set out in the "European Specialist Medical Qualifications Order 1995" (ESMQO) which established the Specialist Register and routes of entry to it. It was amended in 1997 and again in 1999.
The ESMQO provides a number of routes to the Specialist Register for public health doctors who come into these categories:
CATEGORY I
Article 9(1)
If you are a national of a European Economic Area (EEA) state (or married to an EEA national) with a Specialist Medical Qualification awarded outside the UK you can apply for mutual recognition of your qualification under EEA law
You must meet all of the following criteria in order to apply to the GMC for direct (automatic) entry to the Specialist Register:
- Be a national of an EEA member state (or married to an EEA citizen who intends to demonstrate an enforceable European Community tight to live in the UK).
- Have been awarded a recognised European primary medical qualification.
- Have been awarded a recognised European specialist qualification in a speciality in which there is a CCST.
Please be advised that the rules for automatic entry are complex and under some circumstances, even if you meet the preceding criteria, your qualification may not be acceptable for direct entry. Please contact the GMC for further information before you apply. If you qualify for direct entry you must apply to the GMC.
CATEGORY II
If you do not meet all of the criteria listed in the previous paragraph or you have completed a specialist training programme outside the EEA you can apply to the STA for direct entry to the Specialist Register.
Article 9(2)(b)
If you have specialist medical qualifications awarded outside the EEA in phm or community medicine that are equivalent to a CCST in phm
You must demonstrate that the training leading to the award of those qualifications is equivalent in content and provides you with the breadth of knowledge, level of responsibility, skills and competencies expected of a UK Specialist Registrar trainee who has completed a CCST
Article 9(3)(a)
If your specialist medical qualifications are awarded outside the EEA and are not in a CCST speciality, your qualifications and the training leading to them will be compared to the level of knowledge and skill consistent with practice as a consultant in phm in the UK National Health Service
You must demonstrate that the training leading to the award of those qualifications is equivalent in content and provides you with the breadth of knowledge, level of responsibility, skills and competencies expected of an NHS consultant in phm. You may be required to provide evidence that there is an NHS consultant position in the UK in your speciality.
CATEGORY III
Article 9(3)(b)
If you have knowledge or experience in any medical speciality derived from academic or research work which gives you a level of knowledge and skills consistent with practice as a consultant in that speciality in the NHS please read the STA information sheet 5. Please note that you must normally hold a relevant postgraduate degree (e.g. a PhD)
More detailed advice to potential applicants.
Article 9 of the ESMQO remains the governing legislation for specialist registration and the STA is the body with statutory responsibility for making decisions on applications.
More information about the European Specialist Qualifications Order 1995 (ESMQO) - and the role of the STA can be found in Information Sheet 6 which is available on the STA's web-site.
All general enquiries about the Specialist Register should be directed to the Specialist Training Authority, 70 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 7DE, Tel: 020 7935 8586.
The Faculty of Public Health is responsible for the initial assessment of applications and for making recommendations to the STA. The STA has the authority to confirm or reject recommendations and to notify the GMC that an assessed doctor should be entered on the Specialist Register.
The new Article 14 arrangements for specialist registration will not take effect until PMETB assumes statutory functions. This is unlikely to happen until September 2005 when PMETB is expected to go live. Enquiries about Article 14 implementations should be directed to PMETB> (web link..)
The EEA is currently made up of the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
On 1 May 2004 10 further states - Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia - joined the EU and subsequently doctors from these countries are able to exercise the same rights as other European nationals for registration with the GMC.