97.—(1) [F1[F2An officer of a health and social care body] shall not be personally liable in respect of any act done by him in the execution of any function of any such body] and within the scope of his employment if he acted reasonably and in the honest belief that his duty required or empowered him to do it; but nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as relieving such a body of any liability in respect of acts of its officers.
(2) Where an action has been brought against an officer of a body such as is mentioned in paragraph (1) in respect of an act done by him in the execution or purported execution of any such function and the circumstances are such that he is not legally entitled to require that body to indemnify him, that body may nevertheless indemnify him against the whole or a part of any damages or costs which he may have been ordered to pay or may have incurred, if that body is satisfied that he honestly believed that the act complained of was within the scope of his employment and that his duty required or empowered him to do it.
F2Words in art. 97(1) substituted (1.4.2009) by Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 (c. 1), s. 34(3), Sch. 6 para. 3(45); S.R. 2009/114, art. 2