Fears for patient safety

Proposed new legislation giving European professionals rights to temporary and occasional registration in the UK sparked lively debate at the GOC meeting held in Chandos House, London, last week.

Members voiced concerns that the European Qualifications Directive would risk patient safety as European practitioners would not be subjected to UK CET requirements and it wasn't clear whether the GOC would be able to refuse registration if they lacked insurance cover.

Chairman Rosie Varley said she thought the proposals posed 'huge issues of patient safety'.

The definition of temporary and occasional registration would need to be decided on a case-by-case basis and deputy registrar and director of education Dian Taylor said that it wouldn't be possible to monitor practitioners' activity during their stay.