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National Health Service Act 1977

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Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Prohibition, and certificate of Medical Practices Committee

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Prohibition, and certificate of Medical Practices CommitteeE+W+S

1(1)Any person who buys or sells the goodwill, F1. . ., of a medical practice which it is unlawful to sell by virtue of section 54(1) above is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding—E+W+S

(a)such amount as will in the court’s opinion secure that he derives no benefit from the offence, and

(b)the further amount of £500,

or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

[F2(2)Any person proposing to be a party to a transaction or series of transactions which he thinks might amount to a sale of the goodwill of a medical practice in contravention of section 54(1) may ask [F3the Secretary of State] for a certificate under this paragraph.]

(3)[F3The Secretary of State] shall consider any such application, and, if [F4he is] satisfied that the transaction or series of transactions does not involve the giving of valuable consideration in respect of the goodwill, F1. . ., of such a medical practice, [F4he shall] issue to the applicant a certificate to that effect, which shall be in the prescribed form and shall set out all material circumstances disclosed to [F3the Secretary of State].

(4)Where any person is charged with an offence under this paragraph in respect of any transaction or series of transactions, it shall be a defence to the charge to prove that the transaction or series of transactions was certified by [F3the Secretary of State] under sub-paragraph (3) above.

(5)Any document purporting to be such a certificate shall be admissible in evidence and shall be deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved.

(6)If it appears to the court that the applicant for any such certificate failed to disclose to [F3the Secretary of State] all the material circumstances, or made any misrepresentation with respect thereto, the court may disregard the certificate, and sub-paragraph (4) shall not apply thereto.

(7)A prosecution for an offence under this paragraph shall only be instituted by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and [F3the Secretary of State] shall, at the request of the Director, furnish him with a copy of any certificate issued by [F5the Secretary of State] under sub-paragraph (3), and with copies of any documents produced to [F6him] in connection with the application for that certificate.

F7(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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