2003 No. 833 (C. 45)
HEALTH CARE AND ASSOCIATED PROFESSIONS
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, ENGLAND AND WALES

The National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2003

Made
The Secretary of State for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 38(5) and (7) and 42(3) of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 20021 and all other powers enabling him in that behalf hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, interpretation and extent1.

(1)

This Order may be cited as the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2003.

(2)

In this Order “the Act” means the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002.

(3)

Article 2 extends to England and Wales.

(4)

Articles 3 and 4 extend to the whole of the United Kingdom.

Appointed day for provision relating to the National Health Service2.

1st April 2003 is the day appointed for the coming into force of paragraph 16(6) of Schedule 2 to the Act (reallocation of functions of Health Authorities to Primary Care Trusts) and, in so far as it relates to that paragraph, paragraph 1 of that Schedule.

Appointed day for provisions relating to appeals3.

Subject to article 4, 1st April 2003 is the day appointed for the coming into force of—

(a)

sections 30 to 34 of the Act (appeals);

(b)

paragraphs 13 to 17 of Schedule 8 to the Act (minor and consequential amendments) and, in so far as it relates to those paragraphs, section 37(1) of the Act; and

(c)

Part 2 of Schedule 9 to the Act (repeals) and, in so far as it relates to that Part, section 37(2) of the Act.

Saving provisions4.

(1)

The amendments made by the provisions specified in article 3 shall not have effect in relation to cases where—

(a)

a person has made an appeal pursuant to the provisions specified in paragraph (2) within the appeal period, but where that appeal has not been finally determined before 1st April 2003; or

(b)

a person’s appeal period has not ended before 1st April 2003 (in relation to a decision notified to that person before that date) and where there is a right of appeal in relation to that decision pursuant to the provisions specified in paragraph (2).

(2)

The provisions specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are those where there is an appeal to—

(a)

Her Majesty in Council or the Privy Council (as the case may be), pursuant to—

(i)

section 40 of the Medical Act 19832,

(ii)

section 29 or section 44 of the Dentists Act 19843,

(iii)

section 23 of the Opticians Act 19894,

(iv)

section 10 or section 31 of the Osteopaths Act 19935, or

(v)

section 10 or section 31 of the Chiropractors Act 19946; or

(b)

the Court of Session in Scotland, the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland or the High Court of Justice in England and Wales (as the case may be), pursuant to—

(i)

section 29 of the Osteopaths Act 1993, or

(ii)

section 29 of the Chiropractors Act 1994.

(3)

In paragraph (1), “appeal period” means the period within which a person is permitted to appeal against a decision to—

(a)

Her Majesty in Council or the Privy Council (as the case may be), pursuant to the provisions specified in paragraph (2)(a); or

(b)

the Court of Session in Scotland, the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland or the High Court of Justice in England and Wales (as the case may be), pursuant to the provisions specified in paragraph (2)(b).

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health

John Hutton
Minister of State,
Department of Health
(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is the fourth commencement order made by the Secretary of State under the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 (“the Act”). One Order has also been made by the National Assembly for Wales.

Article 2 brings into force on 1st April 2003 an amendment in Schedule 2 to the Act which inserts references to Primary Care Trusts in section 42(4A) of the 1977 Act.

Article 3 brings into force on 1st April 2003 sections 30 to 34 of the Act (and associated amendments and repeals) which make amendments relating to rights of appeal in fitness to practice cases and against certain registration decisions. Article 4 makes saving provisions in relation to cases where an appeal has been made but not finally determined before 1st April 2003 or where the appeal period has not ended before 1st April 2003.

(This note is not part of the Order)

Provision

Date of Commencement

S.I.No.

Section 1 (partially)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

(remainder)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 2 (partially)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

(remainder)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 3(1) (partially)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

(partially)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 3(2)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

Section 3(3) (partially)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

(remainder)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 3(4)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 3(5)(a) and (b)

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

Sections 4 and 5

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 6

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Sections 7 and 8

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Section 9

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Section 10 as to England

1st October 2002

2002/2478

as to Wales

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Section 20 as to England

1st January 2003

2002/3190

Section 21 as to England

1st January 2003

2002/3190

Section 23 as to Wales

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Section 24

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Section 25 (partially)

27th August 2002

2002/2202

Section 25 (partially)

1st December 2002

2002/2202

Section 25 (remainder)1000

1st April 2003

2002/2202

Section 261000

1st April 2003

2002/2202

Section 271000

1st April 2003

2002/2202

Section 291000

1st April 2003

2002/2202

Section 35

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Schedule 1, paragraphs 1 (partially), 3, 4, 6, 7 and 19

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

Schedule 1 (remainder)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Schedule 2, paragraphs 31 and 32

2nd September 2002

2002/2202

Schedule 2, remainder apart from paragraphs 16(6) and 17(4) and (5) and paragraph 1 in so far as it relates to those paragraphs

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Schedule 3

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Schedule 4

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Schedule 5

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Schedule 6 as to England

1st January 2003

2002/3190

Schedule 7, paragraphs 4 to 6, 22 and 23

27th August 2002

2002/2202

Schedule 7, paragraphs 1 to 3, 7 to 15, 16(1) and (2), 17 to 21 and 24

1st December 2002

2002/2202

Schedule 7 (remainder)1000

1st April 2003

2002/2202

Schedule 8 (and section 37(1) in so far as it relates to the paragraphs specified below)

Paragraphs 1 (partially), 4 to 7, 12, 18, 20, 21, 22 (partially), 23 to 27, 28 (partially), 29 and 31 to 37

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Paragraphs 1 (partially), 3, 8, 9 and 22 (remainder) as to England

1st October 2002

2002/2478

Paragraphs 1 (partially), 2, 3, 8, 9 and 22 (remainder) as to Wales

10th October 2002

2002/2532

Paragraphs 1 (partially) and 2 as to England

1st January 2003

2002/3190

Schedule 9 (and section 37(2) in so far as it relates to the items commenced in the Orders specified below)

(partially)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

(partially as to England)

1st October 2002

2002/2478

(partially as to Wales)

10th October 2002

2002/2532

(partially)

1st January 2003

2002/3190

1000

Note: the date for commencement of those provisions marked with an asterisk has not yet been reached.