The National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2015

Inquiries about prescriptions and referrals

68.—(1) The contractor must, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), sufficiently answer any inquiries, whether oral or in writing, from the Board concerning—

(a) any prescription form or repeatable prescription form issued or created by a prescriber;

(b) the considerations by reference to which prescribers issue such forms;

(c) the referral by or on behalf of the contractor of any patient to any other services provided under the Act; or

(d) the considerations by which the contractor makes such referrals or provides for them to be made on its behalf.

(2) An inquiry referred to in paragraph (1) may only be made for the purpose of obtaining information to assist the Board to discharge its functions, or of assisting the contractor in the discharge of its obligations, under the agreement.

(3) The contractor is not obliged to answer any inquiry referred to in paragraph (1) unless it is made—

(a) in the case of paragraph (1)(a) or (b), by an appropriately qualified health care professional; or

(b) in the case of paragraph (1)(c) or (d), by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner.

(4) The appropriately qualified person referred to in paragraph (3)(a) or (b) must —

(a) be appointed by the Board to assist it in the exercise of the Board’s functions under this regulation; and

(b) produce on request, written evidence that they are authorised by the Board to make such an inquiry on the Board’s behalf.