Premises approval: practice amalgamations
29.—(1) A practice amalgamation occurs where two or more providers of primary medical services amalgamate as a single provider of primary medical services as a result of which two or more patient lists are combined.
(2) Following a practice amalgamation, if the practice premises of the single provider of primary medical services are all premises that immediately prior to the practice amalgamation were listed premises, the premises approvals for those premises and the related outline consents will continue to have effect.
(3) Following a practice amalgamation, if paragraph (2) does not apply but one or more of the doctors coming together as the single provider of primary medical services had, immediately prior to amalgamation, premises approval for premises—
(a)if any of those premises become practice premises of the single provider of primary medical services—
(i)the premises approvals for the premises and the related outline consents will continue to have effect, and
(ii)any applications for premises approvals for other practice premises must be treated as applications for additional premises under regulation 28 (premises approval: additional and new premises after outline consent has taken effect);
(b)if none of those premises become practice premises of the single provider of primary medical services—
(i)a doctor may submit an application for premises approval for premises under regulation 24 (outline consent and premises approval) and have that application treated as a relocation from listed premises of a doctor who was part of the practice amalgamation; and
(ii)any applications for premises approval in respect of other practice premises of the single provider of primary medical services are to be treated as applications for additional premises under regulation 28.
(4) An application mentioned in paragraph (3) may be made before or after the practice amalgamation takes place, and where the practice amalgamation takes effect before the application has been finally determined—
(a)any premises approval in effect at the date of the practice amalgamation will have effect from the date of the amalgamation as if it were a temporary premises approval under regulation 28(13) for a period stated by the Local Health Board not exceeding one year; and
(b)the new practice will have temporary premises approval from the date of the practice amalgamation to dispense from any premises mentioned in the application for a period stated by the Local Health Board not exceeding one year.
(5) When the practice amalgamation takes effect the doctors must notify all Local Health Boards in whose area the amalgamated practice is situated that the practice amalgamation has taken place.
(6) Subject to paragraph (7), where an application made under paragraph (3) was granted before the practice amalgamation takes place, premises approval will take effect from the date of the practice amalgamation.
(7) Where an application was made under paragraph (3) before the practice amalgamation takes place and the practice amalgamation has not taken place before the end of a period of one year beginning with the date that premises approval was granted under that paragraph, that grant will lapse.
(8) Where an application under paragraph (3) for premises approval is refused either for all or any of the premises specified in the application, whether before or after the practice amalgamation takes place, the doctors who had premises approval prior to making the application, and any other doctor in the new practice after that date will have residual premises approval.
(9) For the purposes of this regulation “residual premises approval” (“cymeradwyaeth mangre weddilliol”) means premises approval to provide pharmaceutical services—
(a)from premises in respect of which the doctor or another doctor in his or her practice had premises approval at the time of the application in relation to the practice amalgamation; and
(b)to a patient falling within regulation 20(1) to whom the doctor making the application provides pharmaceutical services, but excluding any such patient who ceases to be a patient mentioned in regulation 20(1)(b) or (c).
(10) For the purposes of paragraph (9), regulation 20(1)(b) or (c) is to be read as if the words “and the conditions specified in paragraph (4) are satisfied” were omitted.
(11) Where a Local Health Board has determined an application for premises approval under paragraph (3), the persons who may make an appeal to the Welsh Ministers will be determined in accordance with—
(a)regulation 28 in respect of an application under paragraph (3)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii); or
(b)regulation 24 in respect of an application under paragraph (3)(b)(i).
(12) Where a Local Health Board has determined an application under paragraph (4), the applicant may make an appeal to the Welsh Ministers.
(13) If, in the circumstances outlined in paragraph (12), a notice of appeal is submitted to the Welsh Ministers, Part I of Schedule 3 and the following paragraphs of Schedule 3 will apply:
(a)6(4)(b);
(b)7(2) and (4); and
(c)8,
as if the notice of appeal were submitted under paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 3.