National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

9 Local consultative committees

(1) Where, after consultation with the Health Board concerned, the Secretary of State is satisfied that a committee formed for the area of the Board is representative—

(a) of the medical practitioners of that area, or

(b) of the dental practitioners of that area, or

(c) of the nurses and midwives of that area, or

(d) of the pharmacists of that area, or

(e) of the ophthalmic and dispensing opticians of that area,

the Secretary of State shall recognise that committee.

(2) Any committee so recognised shall be called—

(a) the area medical committee,

(b) the area dental committee,

(c) the area nursing and midwifery committee,

(d) the area pharmaceutical committee, or

(e) the area optical committee,

as the case may be, for the area concerned.

(3) Where, after consultation with the Health Board concerned, the Secretary of State is satisfied that a committee formed for the area of any Health Board is representative of any other profession engaged in the provision of care or treatment under this Act, and that it is in the interests of the health service to recognise that committee for the purposes of this Act, he may so recognise it.

(4) Where, after consultation with the Health Board concerned, the Secretary of State is satisfied that a committee formed for the area of any Health Board is representative of two or more of the professions mentioned in subsection (1) or (3), and that it is in the interests of the health service to recognise that committee for the purposes of this Act, he may so recognise it.

(5) It shall be the general function of a committee recognised under this section to advise the Health Board for its area on the provision of services under this Act, being services with which that committee is concerned in that area, but, except in so far as regulations otherwise provide, in exercising functions conferred by or under this section, such a committee shall not concern itself with the remuneration and conditions of service of practitioners or other persons of whom it is representative.

(6) In addition to any other functions which committees recognised under this section may exercise, they shall exercise such functions as may be prescribed.

(7) In exercising their functions under this Act, Health Boards shall consult with committees recognised under this section on such occasions and to such extent as may be prescribed.

(8) Any committee recognised under this section may, with the approval of the Health Board for its area, delegate any of its functions, with or without restrictions or conditions, to sub-committees and may appoint to any sub-committee persons who are not members of the committee.

(9) Health Boards shall defray the reasonable expenses of committees recognised under this section and shall pay to members of such committees and sub-committees thereof such travelling and other allowances, including compensation for loss of remunerative time, as the Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service, from time to time determine; but payments under this subsection may only be made as respects the exercise of functions conferred by or under this section.