These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Choice of Medical Practitioner) (Scotland) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/659) (“the principal Regulations”).

Regulations 4(3)(c), and 5(4) amend the principal Regulations so as to add to the factors to which a Health Board or pilot scheme provider shall have regard in deciding on the doctor to whom a person should be assigned. The additional factor relates to violent patients. The Health Board or pilot scheme provider must take into account whichever doctor or pilot scheme provider has the most appropriate facilities to deal with such a patient.

The Regulations also amend the principal Regulations to include reference, where appropriate, to primary care NHS trusts to which responsibility for certain functions mentioned in section 12AA of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 (c. 29) is delegated by the Health Boards. Regulation 2(2)(b) inserts a new definition of “primary care NHS trust” into the principal Regulations.