Powers and Functions of the Medical & Dental Council
The Council shall have the power of general supervision over the working of the Council and shall hold the President, Vice President, Registrar, Committees and other authorities of Council accountable for all its functions.
The Council shall have all powers not expressly vested in any other authority or officer by any other law where such powers not expressly mentioned in the Ordinance are necessary for the performance of its functions.
To make it more clear we have listed the powers of the council numerically below.
(01) To appoint the members, officers and employees of the Commission on such terms and conditions as the Council deemd necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and to provide for all matters relating to welfare, terms and conditions of service of the members, officers and employees of the Commission in accordance with regulations framed by the Council and including the right, to institute a compulsory golden handshake scheme subject to the approval of the Federal Government, or such other severance package for the employees of the Commission, as it may deem proper.
(02) To approve the proposed annual plan of work including key performance indicators. The annual and revised budgets, the annual report and the annual statement of account.
(03) To approve strategic plans and approve the financial resource development plans of the Commission.
(04) To approve accreditation standards, for undergraduate medical and dental programs of study based in Pakistan.
(05) To approve curriculum and scope of undergraduate medical and dental programs of study in Pakistan leading to general registration of the graduates of those programs to practice medicine and dentistry in Pakistan.
(06) To frame regulations for the conduct of admissions in medical and dental colleges and examinations to be conducted by the Commission and approve the examination structure and standards of the medical and dental colleges admissions test, national licensing examination and the national equivalence board examinations as proposed by the national medical and dental academic board including the standards of revalidation of licenses to practice medicine or dentistry in Pakistan.
(07) To grant recognition to medical and dental institutions in Pakistan which train or grant or both train and grant medical and dental postgraduate qualifications and to the qualifications granted by these institutions
leading to registration of the graduates of those programs to practice medicine in Pakistan as specialists.
(08) To approve the assessment of international under-graduate medical programs and institutions for registration of their graduates in Pakistan.
(09) To approve the assessment of authorities or institutions in other countries that conduct examinations for postgraduate registration in medicine and dentistry or that accredit postgraduate programs of study relevant
to registration in medicine and dentistry.
(10) To approve listing for any new medical and dental specialties.
(11) To hear and decide complaints against licensees of professional negligence and misconduct in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Council.
(12) To provide non-binding advise to the Federal Government and the Provincial Governments and the Parliament when sought on proposals for granting a charter by the Parliament to award postgraduate degrees in the field of medicine and dentistry, both in the public and private sector.
(13) To advise the Federal Government and the Provincial Governments, health-care commissions, regulatory bodies in the field of medicine and dentistry and any other authority or local body on matters within the powers of the Commission under this Act and ancillary and incidental thereto.
(14) To work with international health, accreditation and testing authorities and agencies to bring about improvement in the furtherance of these objectives.
(15) To determine the remuneration and allowances to be paid to the members of the Authority.
(16) To fix the salaries, remuneration and benefits of the officers and employees of the Commission.
(17) To constitute from amongst its members or outside experts such committees as the Council deems necessary to carry out the purposes and functions of the Commission.
(18)To levy fees for grant, renewal or revalidation of licenses, examinations, registrations, inspections, permissions, processes and any and all other ancillary services as may be performed by the Commission in
accordance with regulations prescribed by the Council subject to being in consonance with the purposes of providing the operational cost and long term financial sustenance and strength of the Commission in accordance with the financial and development plans approved by the Council.
(19) To determine in addition to penalties already provided for under this Act the quantum of penalties in respect of any violation or offence pursuant to this Act or as may be provided for in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Council subject to the quantum being a fair compensation for the wrong caused and a deterrent to future violations of similar nature by any person.
(20) To do all such matters as are ancillary including the issuance of policies or framing of regulations, convenient for or which foster or promote the advancement of matters that are the subject of these objectives and
this Act.
(21) To hear appeals against any order, act or decision of the Authority or
the National Medical and Dental Academic Board.
That was all about the powers & functions of the Medical & Dental Council which works under the Pakistan Medical Commission. If you want to completely understand the structure & role of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). then you should read our this article What will be Composition of Pakistan Medical Commission.