The National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Amendment Regulations 1990

Amendment of regulation 4 of the principal Regulations

4.  In regulation 4 of the principal Regulations (time limits for complaining and notice of complaint)–

(a) for the words “eight weeks”, in both instances where they occur, there shall be substituted the words “thirteen weeks”;

(b) for the words “written notice to the Administrator”, in both instances where they occur, there shall be substituted the word “notice”;

(c) after paragraph (2), there shall be inserted the following paragraphs:–

“(3) Any notice given for the purposes of this regulation–

(a) shall be given in writing, unless the General Manager is satisfied that the person desiring to make the complaint is unable, whether by reason of physical disability or otherwise, to read and write in the English language, in which case the notice may be given orally; and

(b) if required to be given in writing, shall be sent to–

(i) the General Manager, at any office of the Committee,

(ii) in England, the principal office of the Regional Health Authority in whose region the locality of the Committee is included, or, in Wales, the Welsh Office, Cathays Park, Cardiff, or

(iii) the principal office of any District Health Authority whose district is in whole or in part situated in, or is the same as, the locality of the Committee;

(c) if given orally in accordance with sub-paragraph (a)–

(i) shall be given, by the person desiring to make the complaint, at any office of the Committee, and

(ii) shall be recorded by tape recorder, and (as soon as practicable thereafter) transcribed, by the Committee.

(4) In its application to a complaint which is made to a Committee whose locality is in Wales, paragraph (3)(a) shall have effect as if for the words “the English” there were substituted the words “neither the English nor the Welsh.”.”