Medical Act 1858 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
|
|
| Long title | An Act to Regulate the Qualifications of Practitioners in Medicine and Surgery. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 21 & 22 Vict. c. 90 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 2 August 1858 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by |
|
|
Status: Partially repealed
|
|
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the Medical Act 1858 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk | |
The Medical Act 1858 was an important law passed in the United Kingdom. Its main goal was to make sure that doctors were properly trained and qualified. This law created the General Medical Council. This council still helps to keep track of doctors today. The Act helped people know if a doctor was truly qualified.
Contents
What Was the Medical Act 1858?
The Medical Act 1858 was a law made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Parliament is the main law-making body in the UK. This law was also known as An Act to Regulate the Qualifications of Practitioners in Medicine and Surgery. It was passed on August 2, 1858.
The Act said that "it is expedient that Persons requiring Medical Aid should be enabled to distinguish qualified from unqualified Practitioners". This means it was important for people to tell the difference between real doctors and those who were not properly trained.
Why Was This Law Needed?
Before this Act, it was harder to know if someone was a real doctor. There were no clear rules for who could practice medicine. This law helped to bring order to the medical profession. It made sure that doctors met certain standards.
How the Act Regulated Doctors
The Medical Act 1858 created the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC's job was to regulate doctors. This means they set rules and standards for doctors. They also made sure doctors followed these rules.
The Medical Register
The Act created a special job called the Registrar of the General Medical Council. This person's duty was to keep an up-to-date list of all registered doctors. This list is called the Medical Register. It is still used today. The public can look at this list to check if a doctor is qualified.
Rules for Poor Law Doctors
The Act also had rules for doctors working under the Poor Law system. This system helped poor people get medical care. The law said that only doctors who were properly qualified could work as Poor Law Doctors. This made sure that even the poorest people received good medical care.
Important Changes and People
The Medical Act 1858 brought about several important changes. It helped to shape how medicine is practiced in the UK even today.
Elizabeth Blackwell's Achievement
Thanks to a part of the Act, Elizabeth Blackwell made history. She was a doctor who had studied in another country. The Act allowed doctors with foreign degrees to practice in Britain. On January 1, 1859, she became the first woman to be listed on the Medical Register. This was a huge step for women in medicine.
Dental Examinations
The Act also allowed the Royal College of Surgeons of England to do something new. They were given permission to start giving dental examinations. This helped to improve the standards for dentists as well.
The Act Today
Most of the Medical Act 1858 has been replaced over time. New laws have taken its place. The main law that governs medical regulation today is the Medical Act 1983. However, the Medical Act 1858 was a very important first step. It laid the foundation for how doctors are regulated in the UK.
