The National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1992

Appropriate committee

4.—(1) Complaints and other matters investigated under this Part of these Regulations shall, subject to paragraph 5(2) to (4), be investigated by the appropriate committee, that is to say—

(a) where the complaint or matter relates to a doctor, the medical service committee;

(b) where—

(i) the complaint or matter relates to a dentist, and

(ii) sub-paragraph (e) of this paragraph does not apply,

the dental service committee;

(c) where the complaint or matter relates to an ophthalmic medical practitioner or an optician, the ophthalmic service committee;

(d) where the complaint or matter relates to a chemist, the pharmaceutical service committee;

(e) where—

(i) the complaint or matter relates to a dentist and concerns only the fit or efficiency of a denture provided by him, and

(ii) the FHSA has a denture conciliation committee,

the denture conciliation committee.

(2) A complaint or other matter which, under paragraph (1), is required to be investigated by two service committees may instead be investigated by the joint services committee, and where it is decided that the joint services committee shall investigate the complaint or matter, it shall be the appropriate committee in relation to that complaint or matter.

(3) If, in the opinion of a service committee, a matter referred to it involves a matter which is required, by virtue of paragraph (1), to be investigated also by another service committee, it shall refer the matter to the joint services committee instead of dealing with the matter itself.

(4) Where, in the course of its investigation of any complaint or matter, a denture conciliation committee considers that, by reason of—

(a) the nature of the allegations made against the dentist; or

(b) the number of cases in which complaints have been made against the dentist,

the complaint or matter should more appropriately be investigated by the dental service committee, it shall refer the complaint or matter to that committee for investigation in accordance with regulation 7.

(5) Where a complaint, or a matter referred to the ophthalmic service committee, involves a question relating to an ophthalmic medical practitioner and an optician, that service committee shall, where the practitioner and the optician so agree, investigate the complaint or matter in relation to both persons at the same time.