Amendment of regulation 17 of the principal Regulations

5.  In regulation 17 of the principal Regulations (improvements or better access to the current service: additional matters to which the NHSCB must have regard), for paragraph (1) substitute the following paragraph—

“(1) If—

(a) the NHSCB receives a routine application and is required to determine whether granting it, or granting it in respect of some only of the services specified in it, would secure improvements, or better access, to pharmaceutical services, or pharmaceutical services of a specified type, in the area of the relevant HWB; and

(b) the improvements or better access that would be secured have or has been included in the relevant pharmaceutical needs assessment in accordance with paragraph 4(a) of Schedule 1,

in determining whether it is satisfied as mentioned in section 129(2A) of the 2006 Act (regulations as to pharmaceutical services), the NHSCB must have regard to the matters set out in paragraph (2).”.