The Medical Act 1983 (c. 54) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which governs the regulation and credentials of the medical profession, and defines offences in respect of false claims of fitness to practise medicine.

Provisions The act Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright. consolidated the Medical Acts 1956 to 1978 and with certain related provisions and amendments gave effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

The Medical Act 1858 (21 & 22 Vict. c. 90) established the General Council of Medical Education & Registration of the United Kingdom, now known as the GMC. It stated that under the Poor Law system boards of guardians could only employ those qualified in medicine and surgery as Poor Law doctors. Poor Law hospitals were transferred to local government by the Poor Law Act 1930 (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. 17). These were unified under the National Health Service Act 1946.

The 1858 act also created the position of Registrar of the General Medical Council — an office still in existence today — whose duty is to keep an up-to-date record of those registered with the membership body and to make them publicly available.

The Brynmor Jones Working Party on the Constitution of the GMC reported in 1971. Subsequently, the government announced its intention to introduce a bill to reconstitute the GMC. At the same time about 8,000 doctors, with support from the BMA, refused to pay the annual £5 retention fee. It was submitted in Parliament that the GMC had asked for amendments of the Medical Act 1956 (4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 76) in order to secure a striking off from the register of any doctor who did not pay the levy.Medical Act debate House of Commons 11 April 1972 A public inquiry into the structure and function of the GMC, headed by Dr Alec Merrison, followed with evidence submitted by a BMA committee in 1973.

The Medical Act 1978 (c. 12), which followed the Merrison ReportMerrison Report. Report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Regulation of the Medical Profession. London: HM Stationery Office, 1975 made the GMC more accountable, extended its functions particularly in relation to medical education, and separated the disciplinary processes from those that deal with doctors whose performance is impaired by ill-health. The provisions of the 1978 Act were consolidated into the Medical Act 1983 (as amended by statutory instrument) and set out the modern structure of the council.

The Medical (Professional Performance) Act 1995 (c. 51) amended the 1983 act and made provisions relating to the professional performance of registered medical practitioners and the voluntary removal of names from the register of medical practitioners.

The General Medical Council's power, under the enabling Medical Act 1983, to make regulations with respect to the medical register can only come into force when approved by order of the Privy Council. Orders of Council are orders that do not require personal approval by the sovereign, but which can be made by the Lords of the Privy Council. These can be statutory or made under the royal prerogative. Statutory Orders of Council include approval of regulations made by the General Medical Council and other regulatory bodies.

Significant Orders of Council with respect to the act are the General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules Order of Council 2004 (SI 2004/2608) and the General Medical Council (Voluntary Erasure and Restoration following Voluntary Erasure) Regulations Order of Council 2004 (SI 2004/2609).

Repealed enactments Section 56(2) of the act repealed 14 enactments, listed in part I of schedule 7 to the act. Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

+Part I – enactments repealedCitationShort titleExtent of repeal4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 76Medical Act 1956The whole act.5 & 6 Eliz. 2. c. 28Dentists Act 1957In section 2(4) the words "subject to the next following subsection". Section 2(5).6 & 7 Eliz. 2. c. 58Medical Act 1956 (Amendment) Act 1958The whole act.10 & 11 Eliz. 2. c. 23South Africa Act 1962In Schedule 3, paragraph 3.1966 c. 13Universities (Scotland) Act 1966In Schedule 6, paragraph 20.1969 c. 40Medical Act 1969The whole act.1972 c. 41Finance Act 1972In Schedule 4, Note (2)(b) to Group 14. In Schedule 5, Note (4) to Group 7.1973 c. 48Pakistan Act 1973In Schedule 3, paragraph 4(a).1973 c. 49Bangladesh Act 1973In the Schedule, paragraph 12.1977 c. 49National Health Service Act 1977In Schedule 14, in paragraph 13(1)(b), the reference to paragraph 69 of the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973. In Schedule 15, paragraph 14.1978 c. 12Medical Act 1978The whole act.1978 c. 29National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978In Schedule 16, paragraph 9.1981 c. 54Supreme Court Act 1981In Schedule 5, the entries relating to the Medical Act 1956 and the Medical Act 1978.1983 c. 41Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983In Schedule 6, paragraph 1.

Section 56(3) of the act revoked 4 instruments, listed in part II of schedule 7 to the act.

+Part II – revocationCitationTitleExtent of revocationSI 1977/827Medical Qualifications (EEC Recognition) Order 1977Articles 3, 4, 7 and 8.SI 1980/872General Medical Council (Qualifying Examinations) (University of Leicester) Order 1980The whole order.SI 1980/1721Medical, Nursing and Dental Qualifications (EEC Recognition) (Greek Qualifications) Order 1980Article 2.SI 1982/1076Medical, Nursing, Dental and Veterinary Qualifications (EEC Recognition) Order 1982Article 2(1).

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