The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Regulations 2018

Agreement sanctions and the dispute resolution procedure

76.—(1) If there is a dispute between the Health Board and the provider in relation to an agreement sanction that the Health Board is proposing to impose, the Health Board must not, subject to sub-paragraph (4), impose the proposed agreement sanction except in the circumstances specified in sub-paragraph (2)(a) or (b).

(2) If the provider refers the dispute relating to the agreement sanction to the local dispute resolution process within 28 days beginning on the date on which the Health Board served notice on the provider in accordance with paragraph 75(4) (or such longer period as may be agreed in writing with the Health Board), and notifies the Health Board in writing that it has done so, the Health Board must not impose the agreement sanctions unless—

(a) there has been a resolution of the dispute between the parties which allows the Health Board to impose the agreement sanction;

(b) there has been no resolution of the dispute between the parties as a result of the local dispute resolution process and the provider does not refer the matter to the Scottish Ministers under paragraph 57 or 58 within 28 days of the end of the period specified in—

(i) paragraph 56(8); or

(ii) the date on which the local dispute resolution process was completed,

whichever is the earlier;

(c) either party refers the matter to the Scottish Ministers under paragraph 57 or 58 within the period specified in sub-paragraph (b) and either

(i) there has been a determination of the dispute pursuant to paragraph 59 and that determination permits the Health Board to impose the agreement sanction; or

(ii) the provider ceases to pursue the NHS dispute resolution procedure.

(3) If the provider does not invoke the local dispute resolution process within the time specified in sub-paragraph (2), the Health Board must be entitled to impose the agreement sanction with immediate effect.

(4) If the Health Board is satisfied that it is necessary to impose the agreement sanction before the local dispute resolution process or the NHS dispute resolution procedure is concluded in order to—

(a) protect the safety of the provider’s patients; or

(b) protect itself from material financial loss,

the Health Board is entitled to impose the agreement sanction with immediate effect, pending the outcome of that procedure.