The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013

Practice amalgamations

59.—(1) A “practice amalgamation” occurs where 2 or more patient lists are combined as a result of the coming together, as a single provider of primary medical services (SP), of 2 or more providers of primary medical services.

(2) If, following a practice amalgamation, the medical practice premises of SP are all premises that immediately prior to the amalgamation were listed dispensing premises, the premises approvals for those premises and the related outline consents become the premises approvals and outline consents of SP.

(3) If, following practice amalgamation, paragraph (2) does not apply but one or more of the providers of primary medical services coming together as SP had, immediately prior to amalgamation, listed dispensing premises—

(a) if any listed dispensing premises become medical practice premises of SP—

(i) the premises approvals for those premises, and the related outline consents, become approvals and consents of SP, and

(ii) any applications for premises approval in respect of other medical practice premises of SP are to be treated under this Part as applications for additional premises;

(b) if none of the listed dispensing premises become medical practice premises of SP—

(i) SP may nominate one of its medical practice premises as premises in respect of which it may apply for premises approval and have that application treated as a relocation from listed dispensing premises of a dispensing doctor who was part of the coming together to form SP, and

(ii) any applications for premises approval in respect of other medical practice premises of SP are to be treated under this Part as applications for additional premises.

(4) Where a practice amalgamation is proposed, a dispensing doctor who intends to be part of the practice amalgamation may make an application on the basis of paragraph (3)(b) in anticipation of circumstances that are expected to arise following the practice amalgamation, and if the dispensing doctor does so—

(a) any premises approval granted as a consequence becomes, when the practice amalgamates, a premises approval granted to SP; or

(b) if the proposed amalgamation does not take place, or if the dispensing doctor who makes the application does not become party to a practice amalgamation that does take place, any premises approval granted on the basis of that application lapses.

(5) If an application for premises approval arises because a practice amalgamation has taken or is due to take place, it must include the names of all the medical practitioners and any other providers of primary medical services who are participating in the amalgamation.