The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2018

Approval of closure notice by the Health Board

27.—(1) If the Health Board approves the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 26(13) or paragraph 26(14)(a), the contractor must close its list of patients—

(a) with effect from a date agreed between the Health Board and the contractor; or

(b) if no such agreement has been reached, with effect from the date on which the contractor receives notification of the Health Board’s decision to approve the closure notice.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), the contractor’s list of patients is to remain closed for the period specified in the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 26(9)(a) (or, where a period of twelve months has been fixed in accordance with paragraph 26(11), for that period).

(3) The contractor’s list of patients is to re‑open before the expiry of the period mentioned in sub‑paragraph (2) if—

(a) the number of the contractor’s registered patients falls to the number specified in the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 26(9)(c); or

(b) the Health Board and the contractor agree that the list of patients should re‑open.

(4) If the contractor’s list of patients has re-opened pursuant to sub-paragraph (3)(a), it will nevertheless close again if, during the period specified in the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 26(9)(a) (or, where the period of twelve months specified in paragraph 26(11) applies, during that period) the number of the contractor’s registered patients rises to the number specified in the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 26(9)(d).

(5) Except in cases where the contractor’s list of patients is already open pursuant to sub‑paragraph (3), the Health Board must notify the contractor in writing between 7 and 14 days before the expiry of the period of closure specified in sub-paragraph (2), confirming the date on which the contractor’s list of patients will re-open.

(6) Where the details specified in the closure notice mentioned in paragraph 26(8) in accordance with paragraph 26(9) have been revised following discussions under paragraph 26(11), references in this paragraph to details specified in the closure notice are references to those details as so revised.