Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972

[F1 General medical services contracts: payments N.I.

57C.— (1) The Department may give directions as to payments to be made under general medical services contracts.

(2) A general medical services contract must require payments to be made under the contract in accordance with directions for the time being in force under this Article.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the power under paragraph (1) directions under that paragraph may—

(a) provide for payments to be made by reference to compliance with standards or the achievement of levels of performance;

(b) provide for payments to be made by reference to—

(i) any scheme or scale specified in the direction; or

(ii) a determination made by any person in accordance with factors specified in the direction;

(c) provide for the making of payments in respect of individual practitioners;

(d) provide that the whole or any part of a payment is subject to conditions (and may provide that payments are payable by a Health and Social Services Board only if it is satisfied as to certain conditions)

(e) make provision having effect from a date before the date of the direction, provided that, having regard to the direction as a whole, the provision is not detrimental to the persons to whose remuneration it relates.

(4) Before giving a direction under paragraph (1), the Department—

(a) shall consult any body appearing to it to be representative of persons to whose remuneration the direction would relate, and

(b) may consult such other persons as it thinks appropriate.

(5) References in this Article to payments include fees, allowances, reimbursements, loans and repayments.]

F1 2004 NI 2