The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2018

Application for variation of a practice area

36.—(1) A contractor may request a variation of their practice area by notifying the Health Board in writing of its variation request.

(2) The Health Board must—

(a) enter into discussions with the contractor regarding the variation request mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) within a period of 1 month beginning with the date of receipt of the notification referred to in that sub-paragraph; and

(b) have concluded such discussions within a period of 3 months beginning with the date of the receipt of the notification mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) Following the discussions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), the Health Board must—

(a) consult with the Area Medical Committee regarding the contractor’s variation request;

(b) consider the effect of the variation request mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) on the practice areas of other contractors within its Health Board area; and

(c) taking account of the discussions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) and the factors at sub-head (a) and (b), approve or reject the contractor’s variation request.

(4) The Health Board must notify the contractor in writing as soon as possible of its decision to approve or reject the variation request in accordance with sub-paragraph (3).

(5) A notification of approval mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) must confirm the date the variation is to take effect.