The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2004

Inquiries about prescriptions and referrals

77.—(1) The contractor shall, subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), sufficiently answer any inquiries whether oral or in writing from the Local Health Board concerning —

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

(b) the considerations by reference to which prescribers by it 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 sub-paragraph (1) may only be made for the purpose either of obtaining information to assist the Local Health Board to discharge its functions or of assisting the contractor in the discharge of its obligations under the contract.

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

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

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

appointed in either case by the Local Health Board to assist it in the exercise of its functions under this paragraph and the health care professional or medical practitioner produces, on request, written evidence that the health care professional or medical practitioner is authorised by the Local Health Board to make such an inquiry on its behalf.