19Exercise of Primary Care Trust functions
(1)This section applies to functions exercisable by a Primary Care Trust under or by virtue of this Act (including this section) or any prescribed provision of any other Act.
(2)Regulations may provide for any functions to which this section applies to be exercised—
(a)by another Primary Care Trust,
(b)by a Special Health Authority, or
(c)jointly with any one or more of the bodies mentioned in subsection (3).
(3)The bodies are—
(a)Strategic Health Authorities,
(b)NHS trusts,
(c)Local Health Boards, and
(d)other Primary Care Trusts.
(4)Regulations may provide—
(a)for any functions to which this section applies to be exercised, on behalf of the Primary Care Trust by whom they are exercisable, by a committee, sub-committee or officer of the Primary Care Trust,
(b)for any functions which, under this section, are exercisable by a Primary Care Trust jointly with one or more Strategic Health Authorities or other Primary Care Trusts (but not with any NHS trusts) to be exercised, on behalf of the health service bodies in question, by a joint committee or joint sub-committee.
(5)Subsection (6) applies where, by virtue of subsection (2)(b), a Special Health Authority exercises functions of a Primary Care Trust in relation to a general dental services contract.
(6)The Secretary of State may by order make provision for the transfer to the Special Health Authority of the rights and liabilities of the Primary Care Trust under the contract (and for their transfer back to the Primary Care Trust where the Special Health Authority ceases to exercise the functions).