Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972

[F1Persons eligible to enter into general medical services contractsN.I.

57B.—(1) [F2The Department] may, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, enter into a general medical services contract with—

(a)a medical practitioner;

(b)two or more individuals practising in partnership where the conditions in paragraph (2) are satisfied; or

(c)a company limited by shares where the conditions in paragraph (3) are satisfied.

(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1)(b) in relation to a partnership are that—

(a)at least one partner is a medical practitioner; and

(b)any partner who is not a medical practitioner is either—

(i)an [F3HSC employee];

(ii)an Article 15B employee, a section 28C employee or a section 17C employee;

(iii)a health care professional who is engaged in the provision of services under this Order; or

(iv)an individual falling within Article 15C(1)(b)(iii).

(3) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1)(c) in relation to a company are that—

(a)at least one share in the company is legally and beneficially owned by a medical practitioner; and

(b)any share which is not so owned is legally and beneficially owned by a person referred to in paragraph (2)(b)(i) to (iv).

(4) Regulations may make provision as to the effect, in relation to a general medical services contract entered into by individuals practising in partnership, of a change in the membership of the partnership.

(5) In this Article—

  • “health care professional” has the same meaning as in Article 15C;

  • “ [F3HSC employee]”, “Article 15B employee”, “section 28C employee” and “section 17C employee” have the same meaning as in Article 15C.]