National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1972

19 Common Services Agency

(1) There shall be constituted in accordance with Schedule 3 to this Act a body, to be called the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service (referred to in this Act as " the Agency ") which shall have the functions conferred on it by this section.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order delegate to the Agency such of his functions under the Health Service Acts as he considers appropriate.

(3) Before the appointed day, after consultation with the bodies concerned and any other interests which appear to the Secretary of State to be concerned, the Secretary of State, where he considers it expedient for the efficient discharge of functions under the Health Service Acts by those bodies, may by order provide that the performance of such functions as he may determine shall stand referred to the Agency and be discharged by it.

(4) Before the appointed day, after consultation with such bodies and interests as appear to him to be concerned, the Secretary of State, where he considers it expedient for the efficient discharge of the functions of the Health Boards on or after that day, may by order provide that the performance of such functions as he may determine shall stand referred to the Agency and be discharged by it on behalf of any or all of the Health Boards.

(5) On and after the appointed day, after consultation with the Scottish Health Service Planning Council, the Health Boards and any other interests which appear to the Secretary of State to be concerned, the Secretary of State, where he considers it expedient for the efficient discharge of the functions of the Health Boards, may by order provide that the performance of such functions as he may determine shall stand referred to the Agency and be discharged by it on behalf of any or all of the Health Boards.

(6) The Secretary of State may by order withdraw from the Agency any function delegated or referred to it under this section.

(7) The Agency shall provide such services and carry out such tasks for bodies associated with the health service as the Secretary of State and those bodies may agree, and on such terms and conditions as may be agreed.

(8) In carrying out its functions, the Agency shall act subject to and in accordance with such directions as may be given by the Secretary of State.

(9) Subsections (9) and (10) of section 13 of this Act shall apply to the Agency as they apply to Health Boards, except that, in subsection (9), the reference to the Secretary of State shall include a reference to any other body associated with the health service.