National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997

23 Right to choose medical practitioner

(1) In the 1977 Act, after section 28E, insert—

“28F Right to choose medical practitioner

(1) Provision shall be made in regulations for conferring a right on any person to choose the medical practitioner from whom he is to receive primary medical services, subject to—

(a) the consent of the practitioner concerned; and

(b) any limit on the number of patients to be accepted by any practitioner.

(2) In particular, the regulations—

(a) shall prescribe the procedure for choosing a practitioner;

(b) may prescribe a limit on the number of patients to be accepted by a medical practitioner who undertakes to provide general medical services under Part II; and

(c) shall provide for the distribution among medical practitioners of persons who have indicated a wish to obtain primary medical services but—

(i) have been refused by the medical practitioner of their choice; or

(ii) have not chosen a medical practitioner.

(3) The Secretary of State may give directions imposing a limit on the number of patients to be accepted by a medical practitioner who performs personal medical services in accordance with section 28C arrangements.

(4) Any such directions may make different provision for different cases or descriptions of case.

(5) Regulations under this section may also provide that the right to choose a medical practitioner conferred by the regulations shall, in the case of such persons as may be specified in the regulations, be exercised on their behalf by other persons so specified.

(6) In this section “primary medical services” means medical services which are—

(a) provided, in accordance with section 28C arrangements, as personal medical services; or

(b) provided under Part II as general medical services.”

(2) In the 1978 Act, after section 17E, insert—

“17F Right to choose medical practitioner

(1) Provision shall be made in regulations for conferring a right on any person to choose the medical practitioner from whom he is to receive primary medical services, subject to—

(a) the consent of the practitioner concerned; and

(b) any limit on the number of patients to be accepted by any practitioner.

(2) In particular, the regulations—

(a) shall prescribe the procedure for choosing a practitioner;

(b) may prescribe a limit on the number of patients to be accepted by a medical practitioner who undertakes to provide general medical services under Part II; and

(c) shall provide for the distribution among medical practitioners of persons who have indicated a wish to obtain primary medical services but—

(i) have been refused by the medical practitioner of their choice; or

(ii) have not chosen a medical practitioner.

(3) The Secretary of State may give directions imposing a limit on the number of patients to be accepted by a medical practitioner who performs personal medical services in accordance with section 17C arrangements.

(4) Any such directions may make different provision for different cases or descriptions of case.

(5) Regulations under this section may also provide that the right to choose a medical practitioner conferred by the regulations shall, in the case of such persons as may be specified in the regulations, be exercised on their behalf by other persons so specified.

(6) In this section “primary medical services” means medical services which are—

(a) provided, in accordance with section 17C arrangements, as personal medical services; or

(b) provided under Part II as general medical services.”