The Medical Council has announced details of a new scheme to audit around 1,000 doctors a year to ensure they are competent to practise.
The audits will start this summer and will be on a voluntary basis as legislation would be required to make them mandatory.
"The legislation isn't coming, but we feel we want to move on with this. We want the profession to engage with us voluntarily on it," council president Dr John Hillery said.
Dr Hillery called on all doctors to engage voluntarily with the council's Competence Assurance Structures and said the Council had waited "too long" for supportive legislation and would now roll out the total structure on a voluntary basis.
The Council will write to doctors selected at random asking them to take part in processes that assess their competence.
"We believe most doctors are practising properly and are competent so they have nothing to be afraid of," he added.
During the reviews, which are being described as 360-degree audits, those conducting them would talk to those who worked with the doctor under review as well as the doctor.
Other doctors as well as nurses, hospital chief executives and patients would be consulted.