These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Pilot Schemes: Financial Assistance for Preparatory Work) Regulations 1997.

New provisions inserted in those Regulations empower Health Authorities in England and Wales and Scottish Health Boards to give financial assistance to persons preparing to participate in a pilot scheme under which personal medical services are provided, under the National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997, and to persons preparing proposals for a pilot scheme for the provision of personal dental services under that Act. Payments may be made in respect of work reasonably undertaken in connection with preparing for the provision of piloted services or, as the case may be, preparing proposals for a pilot scheme.

Any person who is named as a proposed provider of piloted services in proposals for a pilot scheme for the provision of personal medical services may (if those proposals have been approved by the Secretary of State) apply to an authority for financial assistance in respect of preparing for the provision of those services. The application must specify the purposes for which the applicant intends to use the payment and payments may be made only in respect of costs which have been incurred for those purposes. An authority may impose conditions designed to require a person who is given financial assistance to return the money, if it is subsequently discovered that costs were not in fact incurred for the purposes specified in his application.

Provisions as to applications and repayment to the authority in the case of payments for preparatory work on proposals for a pilot scheme for the provision of personal dental services are similar to those outlined above.

These Regulations impose no costs on business.