Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals Consultation

4.57 The General Medical Council has in recent years moved away from a formal
system of statutory committees. The Medical Act 1983 now requires the Council
to establish one or more panels rather than formal committees (with the single
exception of the Investigation Committee). The governance structure of the
Council consists of three corporate governance committees (audit and risk,
remuneration and resources); three boards themed around the main phases of a
doctor’s career (undergraduate, postgraduate and continued practice); and
various committees, including one for each of the main statutory functions
(educational and training, registration, standards and ethics, and fitness to
practise) and other matters such as equality and diversity and research. None of
these bodies are required to be established by the governing legislation, and the
Council can therefore reorganise its governance structure according to
developing needs.
4.58 Appendix C lists the statutory committees and panels that are required to be
established and maintained by the regulators.
Committee membership
4.59 At most of the regulators, appointments and other matters relating to the
constitution of the statutory committees are provided for by rules made by the
Council. In most cases, appointments to the committees are made by the
Council. However, at the General Medical Council appointments are made by the
registrar and at the General Dental Council and General Pharmaceutical Council
appointments are made by the Appointments Committee.
4.60 Most of the regulators have established prohibitions on Council members from
sitting on some or all of the statutory committees. For example, the General
Dental Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council provide that Council members
cannot serve concurrently as a member of any committee. 30 At the General
Pharmaceutical Council this prohibition includes current and former Council
members. 31
4.61 There are also various rules which prevent members of a statutory committee
from being a member of one or more other committees. For example, the
General Chiropractic Council, General Osteopathic Council and General
Pharmaceutical Council have a general prohibition on multi-committee
membership. 32 At other regulators the prohibition applies to members of a
specific committee. For example, at the General Dental Council and Nursing and
Midwifery Council a member of the Investigation Committee cannot serve
concurrently as a member of any other committee. 33 At the Nursing and Midwifery
Council no member of the Midwifery Committee can be a member of a Practice
30 General Dental Council (Constitution of Committees) Rules Order of Council 2009, SI
1813, r 4 and Nursing and Midwifery Council (Midwifery and Practice Committees)
(Constitution) Rules 2008, SI 2008 No 3148, r 6(3).
31
General Pharmaceutical Council (Statutory Committees and their Advisers) Rules 2010, SI
2010 No 1616, r 7.
32 Chiropractors Act 1994, s 24(1) and Osteopaths Act 1993, s 24(1).
33 General Dental Council (Constitution of Committees) Rules Order of Council 2009, SI
1813, r 4 and Nursing and Midwifery Council (Midwifery and Practice Committees)
(Constitution) Rules 2008, SI 2008 No 3148, r 6(2).
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