Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009

Duty to co-operate with the Patient and Client Council

18.—(1) A body to which this section applies must co-operate with the Patient and Client Council in the exercise by the Council of its functions.

(2) In particular, such a body must—

(a) consult the Patient and Client Council with respect to such matters, and on such occasions, as the body considers appropriate, having regard to the functions of the Council;

(b) furnish to the Council, subject to such conditions as the body may specify, such information as the Council considers necessary to enable it properly to exercise its functions; and

(c) have regard to advice provided by the Council under section 17(5)(b).

(3) Regulations may make provision authorising members of the Patient and Client Council to enter, for the purposes of any of the Council’s functions, premises of a kind described in subsection (4).

(4) Those premises are—

(a) any premises controlled by a body to which this section applies or by a person providing primary medical services or general dental, pharmaceutical or ophthalmic services under Part 2 or 6 of the Order of 1972; and

(b) premises of such other description as may be prescribed.

(5) Any power of entry conferred by regulations under subsection (3) is exercisable only so far as is necessary for the purpose of enabling the Patient and Client Council to exercise its functions, and is subject to such conditions as may be prescribed.

(6) A body to which this section applies shall have due regard to any views expressed by the Patient and Client Council regarding health and social care for which that body is responsible.