Cap. 464 Art. 53Transitory provisions.

(1) Any person who, before the coming into force of the relevant Part of this Act, was in possession of a warrant or was through registration or enrolment otherwise authorised to practice a health care profession shall be deemed to be qualified to be registered in the appropriate register under this Act and, where appropriate, to hold the relative licence.

(2) The relevant Specialist Accreditation Committee, after consultation with the relevant specialist society and, or the relevant professional association, shall certify as holding the qualifications for registration in the appropriate specialist register any health care professional who, before the coming into force of the relevant Part of this Act, has practised as a specialist to the satisfaction of the Specialist Accreditation Committee.

(3) The relevant Specialist Accreditation Committee shall certify as holding the necessary qualifications any health care professional who, prior to the coming into force of this Act, held an appointment with the Government at consultant or senior registrar level in a government hospital or clinic.

(4) Any specialist training undergone before the coming into force of this Act or any specialist training being undergone on the coming into force of this Act shall be taken into account for the purpose of computing the required duration of specialist training under this Act by the relevant Specialist Accreditation Committee and the health care professional shall, on the coming into force of this Act, have the option of continuing such specialist training for the purpose of being certified by such committee under the system in force immediately before the coming into force of this Act.

(5) The Specialist Accreditation Committee for Pharmacists shall certify as having the necessary qualifications for entry in the relevant register any pharmacist who, for three consecutive years, during the five years immediately before the coming into force of the relevant Part of this Act, practised in a specialised area of pharmacy.

(6) For the purpose of the first appointment or election of members of any council established by this Act, health care professionals who, immediately before the coming into force of this Act, were lawfully practising their profession in Malta shall be eligible to appointed, to stand for election and to vote at such elections.

(7) Until such time as the relevant Council is duly constituted in accordance with this Act, the Minister may by notice in the Gazette extend the validity of any temporary licence issued under the Medical and Kindred Professions Ordinance for the exercise of any health care profession and any person covered by such temporary licence during its periods of original validity or as extended shall be deemed to be duly authorised to exercise such profession in accordance with this Act.

FIRST SCHEDULE

(Article 6) Rules of Procedure and other rules relating to Councils and Specialist Accreditation Committees