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

Late payment notices

97.—(1) The contractor may give notice in writing (a “late payment notice”) to the Health Board if the Board has failed to make any payments due to the contractor in accordance with a term of the contract that has the effect specified in regulation 22 and the contractor shall specify in the late payment notice the payments that the Board has failed to make in accordance with that regulation.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), the contractor may, at least 28 days after having served a late payment notice, terminate the contract by a further written notice if the Health Board has still failed to make the payments due to the contractor, and that were specified in the late payment notice served on the Health Board pursuant to sub-paragraph (1).

(3) If, following receipt of a late payment notice, the Health Board refers the matter to the NHS dispute resolution procedure within 28 days of the date upon which it is served with the late payment notice, and it notifies the contractor in writing that it has done so within that period of time, the contractor may not terminate the contract pursuant to sub-paragraph (2) until—

(a) there has been a determination of the dispute pursuant to paragraph 92 and that determination permits the contractor to terminate the contract; or

(b) the Health Board ceases to pursue the NHS dispute resolution procedure,

whichever is the sooner.