National Health Service Act 1977

71 Restrictions on authorisations under s. 65 or s. 66

(1) No authorisation—

(a) under section 65(1) or section 66(1) above shall be granted, except by virtue of subsection (2) or subsection (4) below ; and

(b) shall be, other than one granted on a temporary basis as mentioned in subsection (4), to any extent revoked otherwise than in accordance with proposals submitted to the Secretary of State by the Health Services Board under section 68 above.

(2) The Health Services Board may submit to the Secretary of State proposals for securing that in any case where one or more beds authorised under section 65(1) cease to be available to resident private patients, or any accommodation or services authorised under section 66(1) cease to be available to non-resident private patients, in consequence of the permanent closure of any health service hospital accommodation in England or Wales independently of any proposals submitted by the Board under section 68, the total number of effective beds, or the total amount of effective accommodation or services, as the case may be, so authorised in England or Wales is not thereby reduced below what it would be if—

(a) the closed accommodation had remained in use, but

(b) effect had been given by the Secretary of State to all proposals under section 68 received by him before the submission of the proposals in question under this subsection.

(3) It shall be the Secretary of State's duty to grant such authorisations under section 65(1) or section 66(1), as the case may be, as are needed to give effect to any proposals submitted to him under subsection (2) above.

(4) Where any health service hospital accommodation in England or Wales is temporarily closed (whether at the instance of the Secretary of State or not) for physical or other reasons outside his control, the Secretary of State shall, without the need for any proposals by the Board, grant on a temporary basis such authorisations under section 65(1) or section 66(1) as he would have been able to grant by virtue of subsections (2) and (3) above if—

(a) the closure had been permanent; and

(b) the Board had submitted to him any proposals which it could in that case have submitted to him under subsection (2).

(5) Subject to the restrictions imposed by this section, section 65 or, as the case may be, section 66 continue to have effect in relation to any accommodation or services to which an authorisation under section 65(1) or section 66(1) relates.