The Health Services (Primary Care) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997

Approval of pilot schemes

7.—(1) If proposals for a pilot scheme are submitted to the Department under Article 6, it must—

(a) approve them as submitted;

(b) make such modifications as it considers appropriate and approve them as modified; or

(c) reject them.

(2) The Department may not approve proposals for a pilot scheme unless it is satisfied that they include satisfactory provision for any participant other than the board to withdraw from the scheme if he wishes to do so.

(3) Where—

(a) the Department intends to approve proposals for a pilot scheme; and

(b) it appears to the Department that the effect of implementing the proposals would be to increase or reduce the number of general medical practitioners in the area of the board concerned,

the Department must have regard to the effect that the proposals, as the Department intends to approve them, are likely to have on the distribution of general practitioners in Northern Ireland.

(4) The Department must notify the board concerned, in writing, of any decision made under this Article.

(5) In this Article “general practitioner” means any, medical practitioner who is providing general medical services or performing personal medical services.