The National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2003

PART III OTHER AMENDMENTS

Amendment of regulation 27 of the principal Regulations

4.  In regulation 27 of the principal Regulations (doctors' lists) in paragraph (3)–

(a) omit sub-paragraph (e) and “or” at the end of sub-paragraph (d); and

(b) for “departure, enlistment or imprisonment” substitute “departure or enlistment”.

Other Amendments to Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations

5.  After paragraph 20A(1) of Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations insert–

“20B— (1) After 10th October 2003, subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), a doctor shall not engage as a deputy, or employ as an assistant, any doctor unless–

(a) the deputy or assistant has provided two clinical references, relating to two recent posts (which may include any current post) as a doctor which lasted for at least three months without a significant break, or where this is not possible, a full explanation and alternative referees; and

(b) the doctor has checked and is satisfied with the doctor’s references.

(2) Where a doctor is urgently needed as a deputy, and it is not possible to obtain and check the references in accordance with paragraph (1)(b) before engaging him, he may be engaged on a temporary basis for a single period of up to 14 days whilst his references are checked and considered, and for an additional single period of a further seven days if the doctor believes the person supplying those references is ill, on holiday or otherwise temporarily unavailable.

(3) Where a doctor uses the same doctor as a deputy on more than one occasion within a period of three months, he may rely on the references provided on the first occasion, provided that those references are not more than twelve months old.”.

(1)

Paragraph 20A was inserted by S.I. 1998/660.