Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 April 2017
565. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if a review will be conducted of the CPD obligations of general practitioners that are providing combined care under the maternity and infant care scheme in respect of the current evidence base on antenatal care [17967/17]
View answerThe Medical Council is designated as the regulatory body for all registered medical practitioners under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. It has a statutory role in protecting the public by promoting the highest professional standards among medical practitioners practising in the Republic of Ireland.
The Medical Council has advised that all doctors are responsible for maintaining professional competence relevant to their scope of practice. Practitioners will be enrolled in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities as defined by the training body for that specialty and will be required to submit evidence of their participation in educational activities.
The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) operates a professional competence scheme for General Practitioners (GPs) under arrangement with the Medical Council. Under this arrangement the ICGP is required to undertake an annual review of 3% of its enrolees to ascertain that they are completing and recording Continuous Professional Development (CPD) relevant to the professional competence requirements and provides advice accordingly to the Council.
Under the MPA 2007 any doctor who refuses to co-operate, fails to co-operate or ceases to co-operate with requirements under the Act to participate in Professional Competence Schemes will be the subject of a complaint to the Medical Council's Preliminary Proceedings Committee.
