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

Rejection of closure notice by the Health Board

31.—(1) This regulation applies where the Health Board rejects the closure notice in accordance with paragraph 29(12)(b).

(2) The contractor and the Health Board may not refer the matter for determination in accordance with the NHS dispute resolution procedure (or, where applicable, commence court proceedings) until the assessment panel has given its determination in accordance with the following sub-paragraphs.

(3) The Health Board must ensure that an assessment panel is appointed by another Health Board as soon as is practicable to consider and determine whether the contractor should be permitted to close its list of patients, and if so, the terms on which the contractor should be permitted to do so.

(4) The Health Board shall provide the assessment panel with such information as the assessment panel may reasonably require to enable the panel to reach a determination and shall include in such information any written observations received from the contractor.

(5) At least one member of the assessment panel shall visit the contractor before reaching a determination under sub-paragraph (6).

(6) Within the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the Health Board rejected the closure notice, the assessment panel shall—

(a) approve the list closure; or

(b) reject the list closure,

and shall notify the Health Board and the contractor of its determination in writing as soon as possible.

(7) Where the assessment panel determines in accordance with sub-paragraph (6)(a) that the contractor’s list of patients should close, it shall specify—

(a) a date from which the closure shall take effect, which must be within a period of 7 days beginning with the date of the assessment panel’s determination; and

(b) those details specified in paragraph 29(8).

(8) Where the assessment panel rejects the list closure in accordance with sub-paragraph (6)(b), that list shall remain open, and the Health Board and the contractor shall enter into discussions with a view to ensuring that the contractor receives support from the Health Board which will enable the contractor to continue to provide services safely and effectively.

(9) Where the assessment panel rejects the list closure in accordance with sub-paragraph (6)(b), the contractor may not submit a further closure notice as described in paragraph 29 until—

(a) the expiry of a period of three months beginning with the date of the assessment panel’s determination; or

(b) (if applicable) the final determination of the NHS dispute resolution procedure (or any court proceedings),

whichever is the later unless there has been a change in the circumstances of the contractor which affects its ability to deliver services under the contract.

(10) Any decision or determination by the assessment panel for the purposes of this paragraph may be reached by a majority.