MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney has signed into law a requirement that makes it mandatory for doctors to participate in professional competence schemes designed to ensure their skills and training are kept up to date.
The commencement order will bring into operation, from May 1st, all remaining provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007.
Part of the Act, which provides for the mandatory participation of doctors in these schemes, was not signed when the law was enacted, to allow the Medical Council time to set up the necessary structures.
However, the council told the Minister last December she could go ahead with the provision.
According to a report in the Irish Medical Times, doctors will have to participate in 50 hours of continuing professional development per year, or 250 hours over a five-year period, and their compliance may be audited at any stage.
About 50 per cent of doctors are already participating voluntarily in such programmes.
Council president Prof Kieran Murphy said he was “delighted” that the Minister had signed the commencement order.