The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Regulations 2004

Essential services

1.—(1) Subject to paragraph 2, the provider must provide the services described in sub-paragraphs (3) and (5) throughout the core hours.

(2) The services described in this paragraph are services required for the management of the provider’s registered patients and temporary residents who are, or believe themselves to be–

(a) ill, with conditions from which recovery is generally expected;

(b) terminally ill; or

(c) suffering from chronic disease,

delivered in the manner determined by the practice in discussion with the patient.

(3) For the purpose of sub-paragraph (2)–

(a) “disease” means a disease included in the list of three-character categories contained in the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems(1);

(b) “management” includes–

(i) offering consultation and, where appropriate, physical examination for the purpose of identifying the need, if any, for treatment or further investigation; and

(ii) the making available of such treatment or further investigation as is necessary and appropriate, including, where appropriate, the referral of the patient for other services under the Act and liaison with other health care professionals involved in the patients treatment and care.

(4) The services described in this paragraph are the provision of appropriate ongoing treatment and care to all registered patients and temporary residents taking account of their specific needs including–

(i) the provision of advice in connection with the patient’s health, including relevant health promotion advice; and

(ii) the referral of the patient for other services under the Act.

(5) A provider must provide primary medical services required in core hours for the immediately necessary treatment of any person to whom the provider has been requested to provide treatment owing to an accident or emergency at any place in its practice area.

(6) In sub-paragraph (5), “emergency” includes any medical emergency whether or not related to services provided under the contract.

(7) A provider must provide primary medical services required in core hours for the necessary treatment of any person falling within sub-paragraph (8) who requests such treatment, for the period specified in sub-paragraph (9).

(8) A person falls within sub-paragraph (7) if the person is one–

(a) whose application for inclusion in the provider’s list of patients has been refused in accordance with paragraph 11 and who is not registered with another provider (by any arrangement) of essential services (or their equivalent) in the area of the Health Board;

(b) whose application for acceptance as a temporary resident has been refused under paragraph 11;

(c) who is present in the provider’s practice area for less than 24 hours.

(9) The period referred to in sub-paragraph (7) is–

(a) in the case of sub-paragraph (8)(a), 14 days beginning with the date on which that person’s application was refused or until that person has been subsequently registered elsewhere for the provision of essential services (or their equivalent), whichever occurs first;

(b) sub-paragraph (8)(b), 14 days beginning with the date on which that person’s application was rejected or until that person has been accepted as a temporary resident elsewhere as a temporary resident, whichever occurs first; and

(c) sub-paragraph (8)(c), 24 hours or such shorter period as the person is present in the provider’s practice area.

(1)

World Health Organisation, 1992 ISBN 92 4 1544 19 8 (v.I) NLM Classification WB 15.