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20.—(1) The contractor may only refuse an application made under paragraph 17 or 19 if the contractor has reasonable grounds for doing so which do not relate to the applicant's age, appearance, disability or medical condition, gender or gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or social class.
(2) The reasonable grounds referred to in sub-paragraph (1) may, in the case of an application made under paragraph 17, include the ground that the applicant—
(a)does not live in the contractor's practice area; or
(b)lives in the outer boundary area (the area referred to in regulation 13(2)).
(3) Where a contractor refuses an application made under paragraph 17 or 19, the contractor must give notice in writing of that refusal and of the reason for it to the applicant (or, in the case of a child or an adult who lacks capacity, the person making the application on the applicant's behalf) before the end of the period of the period of 14 days beginning with the date of the decision to refuse.
(4) The contractor must—
(a)keep a written record of—
(i)the refusal of any application made under paragraph 17,
(ii)the reasons for that refusal; and
(b)make such records available to [F1NHS England] on request.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Regulations substituted (6.11.2023) by The Health and Care Act 2022 (Further Consequential Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1071), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 1