Il General Medical Council (GMC) del Regno Unito invita i medici di oltremare, che hanno ottenuto il posto di Consultant nel Servizio Sanitario Nazionale del Regno prima del 1 Gennaio 1997, ad iscriversi nel Registro degli Specialisti.
Di seguito il messaggio del GMC.

GMC calls on overseas doctors to take advantage of the opening of a new route onto the Specialist Register
A new route onto the Specialist Register has opened today. The GMC is urging all overseas doctors who were appointed to a NHS consultant post in the UK before 1 January 1997 and who are not yet on the GMC’s Specialist Register, to take advantage of this opportunity.

Since 1 January 1997, it has been a legal requirement that a doctor must be on the Specialist Register in order to take up a substantive, fixed term or honorary consultant post in the NHS.

It is thought that as many as 1000 to 1500 doctors, appointed to NHS consultant posts prior to 1 January 1997, are not on the Specialist Register.

Neil Roberts, Director of Registration and Resources at the GMC said: “We hope that all eligible doctors who are currently overseas and have been working for the past five years will use, should they wish to, this opportunity to apply to have their names entered onto the Specialist Register. Doctors will be assessed on a case by case basis and there is no fee for those doctors who are already registered with the GMC.

“Specialist Registration is necessary for appointment as a consultant in the NHS (other than as a locum) and entry allows these doctors to apply for appointment to new consultant posts in the NHS should they wish. Furthermore, should these doctors wish to work in the UK again, entry onto
the Specialist Register will allow these doctors to participate in recertification when it is introduced.”

The new route will complement other existing routes to the Specialist Register, for example the award by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) of a Certificate of Completion of Training.

Lesley Hawksworth, Director of Certification at PMETB said: “We welcome the reintroduction of this route for doctors to gain specialist registration, and will work closely with the GMC to ensure that the scheme is publicised and all eligible doctors are informed about the changes.”

The GMC recently consulted on the scheme entitled ‘Eligibility for inclusion on the Specialist Register: restoration of the Existing Specialist Route’ and covered areas such as scheme eligibility criteria and evidence of the applicant being up to date and fit to practise.
Doctors seeking further information or who wish to apply should visit the GMC website where they can download an application form.
Alternatively, doctors should call the GMC Contact Centre on +44 (0)161 923 6602.