Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003

150 Liability to pay NHS charges E+W+S

(1) This section applies if—

(a) a person makes a compensation payment to or in respect of any other person (the “injured person”) in consequence of any injury, whether physical or psychological, suffered by the injured person, and

(b) the injured person has—

(i) received NHS treatment at a health service hospital as a result of the injury,

(ii) been provided with NHS ambulance services as a result of the injury for the purpose of taking him to a health service hospital for NHS treatment (unless he was dead on arrival at that hospital), or

(iii) received treatment as mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) and been provided with ambulance services as mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii).

(2) The person making the compensation payment is liable to pay the relevant NHS charges—

(a) in respect of—

(i) the treatment, in so far as received at a hospital in England or Wales,

(ii) the ambulance services, in so far as provided to take the injured person to such a hospital,

to the Secretary of State,

(b) in respect of—

(i) the treatment, in so far as received at a hospital in Scotland,

(ii) the ambulance services, in so far as provided to take the injured person to such a hospital,

to the Scottish Ministers.

(3) “Compensation payment” means a payment, including a payment in money’s worth, made—

(a) by or on behalf of a person who is, or is alleged to be, liable to any extent in respect of the injury, or

(b) in pursuance of a compensation scheme for motor accidents,

but does not include a payment mentioned in Schedule 10.

(4) Subsection (1)(a) applies—

(a) to a payment made—

(i) voluntarily, or in pursuance of a court order or an agreement, or otherwise, and

(ii) in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, and

(b) if more than one payment is made, to each payment.

(5) “Injury” does not include any disease.

(6) Nothing in subsection (5) prevents this Part from applying to—

(a) treatment received as a result of any disease suffered by the injured person, or

(b) ambulance services provided as a result of any disease suffered by him,

if the disease in question is attributable to the injury suffered by the injured person (and accordingly that treatment is received or those services are provided as a result of the injury).

(7) “NHS treatment” means any treatment (including any examination of the injured person) other than—

(a) treatment provided by virtue of section 18A(4) or 65 of the 1977 Act, section 57 of, or paragraph 14 of Schedule 7A to, the 1978 Act or paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19) (accommodation and services for private patients),

(b) other treatment provided by an NHS foundation trust in pursuance of an undertaking to pay in respect of the treatment given by or on behalf of the injured person,

(c) treatment provided at a health service hospital by virtue of section 72 of the 1977 Act or section 64 of the 1978 Act (permission for use of national health service accommodation or facilities in private practice), or

(d) treatment provided by virtue of—

(i) section 16CA, 16CC, 28C, 28K or 28Q of the 1977 Act (primary medical and dental services), or

(ii) section 17C, 19 or 25 of the 1978 Act (personal or general medical or dental services).

(8) In relation to any time before sections 170 and 172 come into force, the references in subsection (7)(d)(i) to sections 16CA and 28K of the 1977 Act are to be taken as a reference to section 35 of that Act (arrangements for general dental services).

(9) In relation to any time before sections 174 and 175 come into force, the references in subsection (7)(d)(i) to sections 16CC and 28Q of the 1977 Act are to be taken as a reference to section 29 of that Act (arrangements for general medical services).

(10) “Relevant NHS charges” means the amount (or amounts) specified in a certificate of NHS charges—

(a) issued under this Part, in respect of the injured person, to the person making the compensation payment, and

(b) in force.

(11) “Compensation scheme for motor accidents” means any scheme or arrangement under which funds are available for the payment of compensation in respect of motor accidents caused, or alleged to have been caused, by uninsured or unidentified persons.

(12) Regulations may amend Schedule 10 by omitting or modifying any payment for the time being specified in that Schedule.

(13) This section applies in relation to any injury which occurs after the date on which this section comes into force.

(14) For the purposes of this Part, it is irrelevant whether a compensation payment is made with or without an admission of liability.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 150 partly in force; s. 150 in force at Royal Assent for certain purposes, see s. 199(1)(4)