The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2012

Future needs: consequences of additional matters

16.—(1) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(a), it may—

(a) defer determination of the application;

(b) invite applications from other persons to offer to meet the future need mentioned in regulation 15(1) that the applicant is offering to meet; and

(c) consider, at the same time as the applicant’s application, any application it receives—

(i) as a consequence of the invitation issued in accordance with sub-paragraph (b), or

(ii) that, even if it was not received in response to that invitation, is in any event from another person offering to meet the future need mentioned in regulation 15(1) that the applicant is offering to meet,

but it must not, pursuant to this paragraph, defer consideration of the application for longer than 6 months.

(2) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(b), it may defer consideration of the application for such period as is reasonable in the circumstances, having regard to when the future circumstances specified in accordance with paragraph 2(b) of Schedule 1 are likely to arise.

(3) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(c), it may defer consideration of the application until it can be considered at the same time as the other application.

(4) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(d), it may defer consideration of the application until after the appeal has reached its final outcome.

(5) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(e) to (g), it must refuse the application.

(6) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as mentioned in regulation 15(2)(h) to (j), it must only grant the application if it is satisfied that to do so would secure improvements, or better access, to pharmaceutical services in its area.