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PART 2ENTITLEMENT TO ENTER INTO GMS CONTRACTS

Duration of entitlement to a GMS contract

6.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (5), a person, who is entitled to enter into a GMS contract on 1st April 2004 under article 3(2) or 4(2) but has not done so on that date, shall only continue to be so entitled after that date if–

(a)that person has entered into a default contract with the Health Board and article 7 does not apply; and

(b)that person has signed the GMS contract–

(i)on or before 30th September 2004; or

(ii)in a case where the default contract has been extended pursuant to article 14(2), within the period of 28 days from the date on which the parties were notified of determination of the dispute relating to the default contract or, as the case may be, relating to the terms of the GMS contract or that dispute was withdrawn,

unless article 11 applies.

(2) Where a person has been refused a GMS contract because the Health Board is not satisfied as to the matters specified in article 3(4) or 4(4) that person shall, subject to articles 7 and 12, only continue to be entitled to enter into such a contract (whether following a default contract or not) until–

(a)the end of the period of six weeks after the suspension which gave rise to that refusal has ended other than in removal from the Medical Register or primary medical services performers list; or

(b)in a case where either party has, before the end of the period of 6 weeks referred to in sub paragraph (a), referred the terms of the GMS contract to the Scottish Ministers to consider and determine under regulation 9 of the 2004 Regulations but that dispute has not been determined or withdrawn, the end of the period of 28 days from the date on which the parties were notified of the determination of that dispute or the dispute was withdrawn,

unless article 11 applies.

(3) Where a person has been refused a GMS contract because the Health Board is not satisfied as to the matter specified in article 3(7) or 4(7) and, before 31st March 2005, the Health Board is satisfied, after consultation with the area medical committee (if any), that that person (or, in the case of a partnership, the partner concerned) is able to provide services under a GMS contract, that person shall, subject to articles 7 and 12, only continue to be entitled to enter into such a contract (whether following a default contract or not) until–

(a)the end of the period of 6 weeks after the date on which the Health Board was so satisfied; or

(b)in a case where either party has, before the end of the period of 6 weeks referred to in sub paragraph (a), referred the terms of the GMS contract to the Scottish Ministers to consider and determine under regulation 9 of the 2004 Regulations but that dispute has not been determined or withdrawn, the end of the period of 28 days from the date on which the parties were notified of the determination of that dispute or the dispute was withdrawn,

unless article 11 applies.

(4) Where a person has been refused a GMS contract because the Health Board is not satisfied as to the matter specified in article 3(7) or 4(7), and paragraph (3) does not apply, that person shall, subject to article 12, only continue to be entitled to enter into such a contract until 31st March 2005, unless article 11 applies.

(5) Where a person, who is entitled to enter into a GMS contract under article 3(2) or 4(2), has been unable to do so before 30th September 2004 (whether following a default contract or not) because that person (or, in the case of a partnership, the partner concerned) is performing relevant service in the armed forces, that person’s entitlement shall, subject to articles 7 and 12, continue until–

(a)the end of the period of 6 weeks after the date on which the person ceased to perform relevant service in the armed forces; or

(b)in a case where either party has, before the end of the period of six weeks referred to in sub paragraph (a), referred the terms of the GMS contract to the Scottish Ministers to consider and determine under regulation 9 of the 2004 Regulations but that dispute has not been determined or withdrawn, the end of the period of 28 days from the date on which the parties were notified of the determination of that dispute or the dispute was withdrawn,

unless article 11 applies.

(6) Nothing in articles 3 and 4 or this article shall require a Health Board to enter into a GMS contract with–

(a)any person on more than one occasion;

(b)an individual and with a partnership of which the individual is a partner; or

(c)a partnership and with another partnership of which some or all of the partners are the same.