Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 12th November, 2010.

Rule 1

The relevant criteria to be applied in respect of Section 89(3)(a)(i) are as follows:

1. The programme must be delivered by a body approved by the Medical Council under section 89(3)(a)(ii) as a body which may deliver a programme of specialist training in relation to that medical specialty.

2. The programme will be required to demonstrate that it incorporates the Medical Council's 'Eight Domains of Good Professional Practice', namely:

1. Patient Safety and Quality of Patient Care

2. Relating to Patients

3. Communication and Interpersonal Skills

4. Collaboration and Teamwork

5. Management (including Self Management)

6. Scholarship

7. Professionalism

8. Clinical Skills

A copy of the 'Eight Domains of Good Professional Practice' is attached hereto at Appendix 1.

3. In addition, a programme must comply with the Medical Council's Standards for postgraduate education and training.

4. Approval of a programme will be for no longer than five years. Any significant alterations to the design and delivery of the programme, as approved, will require the prior approval of the Medical Council.

5. Approved bodies will be required to submit annual declarations in respect of approved programmes.

6. Failure to comply with any of the above may result in the withdrawal of approval .

Rule 2

The relevant criteria to be applied in respect of Section 89(3)(a)(ii) and (b) are as follows:

1. A body must comply with the Medical Council's Standards for postgraduate medical education and training.

2. Approval of a body will be for no longer than five years. Any significant alterations to the status and/or structure of the body, as approved, will require the prior approval of the Medical Council.

3. Failure to comply with any of the above may result in the withdrawal of approval.

THESE RULES WILL COMMENCE ON THE 21st DAY OF JULY 2010.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Council,

21 July 2010.

Professor KIERAN MURPHY ,

President.

Mr. MARCUS BALFE,

Acting Chief Executive Officer.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

These Rules were made by the Medical Council on 21st July 2010, pursuant to the provisions of section 89 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 , in respect of training bodies and qualifications for the purposes of the Specialist and Trainee Specialist Divisions of the Register of Medical Practitioners.

Appendix 1

Eight Domains of Good Professional Practice

Eight Domains of Good Professional Practice

Patient Safety and Quality of Patient Care

Patient safety and quality of patient care should be at the core of the health service delivery that a doctor provides. A doctor needs to be accountable to their professional body, to the organisation in which they work, to the Medical Council and to their patients thereby ensuring the patients whom they serve receive the best possible care.

Relating to Patients

Good medical practice is based on a relationship of trust between doctors and society and involves a partnership between patient and doctor that is based on mutual respect, confidentiality, honesty, responsibility and accountability.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Medical practitioners must demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills. This enables the exchange of information, and allows for effective collaboration with patients, their families and also with clinical and non-clinical colleagues and the broader public.

Collaboration and Teamwork

Medical practitioners must co-operate with colleagues and work effectively with healthcare professionals from other disciplines and teams. He/she should ensure that there are clear lines of communication and systems of accountability in place among team members to protect patients.

Management (including Self Management)

A medical practitioner must understand how working in the health care system, delivering patient care and how other professional and personal activities affect other healthcare professionals, the healthcare system and wider society as a whole.

Scholarship

Medical practitioners must systematically acquire, understand and demonstrate the substantial body of knowledge that is at the forefront of the field of learning in their specialty, as part of a continuum of lifelong learning. They must also search for the best information and evidence to guide their professional practice.

Professionalism

Medical practitioners must demonstrate a commitment to fulfilling professional responsibilities by adhering to the standards specified in the Medical Council's "Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners".

Clinical Skills

The maintenance of Professional Competence in the clinical skills domain is clearly specialty-specific and standards should be set by the relevant Post-Graduate Training Body according to international benchmarks.