General Ophthalmic Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Payments to suspended contractors

7.  After regulation 14 of the principal regulations the following new regulation shall be inserted—

“Payments to contractors suspended by direction of the Tribunal

14A.— (1) The Agency shall make payments to any contractor who is suspended by direction of the Tribunal in accordance with the Department’s determination for the time being in operation in relation to such payments.

(2) The Department shall make the determination in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) after consultation with the organisations referred to in regulation 12(1) and it shall be published with the Statement there referred to.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the Department’s determination shall be such as to secure that, as far as reasonably practicable, the suspended contractor receives payments at a rate corresponding to his remuneration by virtue of regulation 12 during the 12 months ending with the direction for suspension by the Tribunal.

(4) The Department’s determination may include provision that payments in accordance with the determination are not to exceed a specified amount in any specified period.

(5) In a case to which paragraph 8B(3) of Schedule 11 to the Order applies, the determination shall provide for the amount by which a suspended contractor’s payments are to be reduced to take account of any payments which he receives for providing general ophthalmic services other than as a principal.

(6) Regulation 12(2) shall apply to determinations under this regulation as it applies to determinations under that regulation.

(7) Regulation 14(2) shall apply to payments made under this regulation as it applies to payments made under that regulation.”.