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

Regulation 24

SCHEDULE 3 MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PRACTICE PREMISES

1.  The contractor must ensure that it meets minimum standards for its practice premises which are that—

(a) the contractor complies with any obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974(1) (and provision made under that Act) and the Equality Act 2010(2) in relation to—

(i) the design or construction of the practice premises; and

(ii) the approach or access to the practice premises,

which the contractor has to its own members (where applicable), staff, contractors and to persons to whom it provides primary medical services, including taking such steps as are reasonable to—

(aa) provide for ease of access to the practice premises and ease of movement within the practice premises for all users of the practice premises (including wheelchair users);

(bb) provide adequate sound and visual systems for the hearing and visually impaired; and

(cc) remove barriers to the employment of disabled people;

(b) there are adequate facilities for the elderly and young children, including nappy-changing and feeding facilities;

(c) there are adequate lavatory and hand hygiene facilities for all persons on the practice premises which meet current infection control standards;

(d) there is such equipment as is necessary to enable the contractor to properly perform appropriate clinical services in the consultation rooms and treatment areas;

(e) the practice have arrangements for instrument decontamination that comply with any national guidelines for instrument decontamination published by the Scottish Ministers from time to time which apply to primary care in accordance with paragraph 119 of schedule 6;

(f) subject to sub-paragraph (g), consulting rooms and treatment areas are properly equipped for use by practitioners working in the practice, including—

(i) adequate arrangements to ensure the privacy of consultations; and

(ii) patients have personal privacy when dressing or undressing, either in a separate examination room or in a screened-off area around an examination couch within the relevant consulting rooms and treatment areas;

(g) in the case of branch surgeries where the contractor provides outlying consultation facilities in premises usually used for other purposes, and these outlying consultation facilities meet with the approval of the Health Board, the standards set out in sub-paragraph (f) do not apply in relation to the outlying consultation facilities;

(h) the access arrangements for the practice premises are convenient for all users;

(i) there are washbasins connected to running hot and cold water (ideally distributed through elbow, knee or sensor operated taps) in all consulting rooms and treatment areas, or, if this is not possible, then in immediately adjacent rooms;

(j) there are adequate internal waiting areas with—

(i) enough seating to meet all normal requirements, either in the reception area or elsewhere; and

(ii) a facility for patients to communicate confidentially with reception staff, including by telephone;

(k) there are adequate standards of lighting, heating and ventilation;

(l) the fittings and furniture of the practice premises are in good repair and (when being used for the provision of primary medical services) clean and hygienic;

(m) there are arrangements for the storage and disposal of clinical waste and that these arrangements comply with the legislative requirements and national guidance in place from time to time in accordance with paragraph 119 of schedule 6;

(n) there are, in the practice premises, arrangements for adequate fire precautions designed in accordance with the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004(3) and agreed with the local fire authority, including provision for safe exit from the practice premises;

(o) there is adequate security for drugs, records, prescription pads and pads of doctors’ statements; and

(p) if the premises are to be used for minor surgery or the treatment of minor injuries, there are necessary facilities and equipment to enable the proper performance of these procedures in the practice premises.

(1)

1974 c.37.

(2)

2010 c.15.

(3)

S.S.I. 2004/406 as amended by S.S.I. 2006/534, S.S.I. 2008/310, S.S.I. 2009/119, S.S.I. 2010/32, S.S.I. 2011/120, S.S.I. 2011/211, S.S.I. 2012/209, S.S.I. 2013/143, S.S.I. 2014/219, S.I. 2014/1638, S.S.I. 2015/218, S.S.I. 2016/70, S.S.I. 2016/71 and S.S.I. 2017/188.