General Medical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Obtaining minor surgery services

36.—(1) A person may apply, either in writing or in person, to a doctor—

(a) who is—

(i) the doctor in whose list he is included (in this paragraph referred to as “his own doctor”);

(ii) a doctor with whom his own doctor is in partnership; or

(iii) a doctor with whom his own doctor is associated in a group practice; and

(b) whose name is included in the medical list and the minor surgery list,

for the provision of a procedure specified in Schedule 7 and the provisions of regulation 19 shall apply to that application as if the reference in regulation 19 to an application to a doctor for inclusion in his list were a reference to an application to a doctor for minor surgery services.

(2) A doctor whose name is included in the medical list and the minor surgery list may, in respect of any person on his list or on the list of a doctor with whom he is in partnership or with whom he is associated in group practice, undertake to provide minor surgery services.

(3) A doctor who has undertaken, pursuant to paragraph (2), to provide minor surgery services in respect of any patient shall offer to provide any of the procedures described in Schedule 7 which it is, in his opinion, appropriate for him to provide in the case of that patient.

(4) Where a doctor provides minor surgery services in respect of a patient who is not included on his list, he shall inform in writing the doctor on whose list the patient is included of the outcome of the procedure.

(5) Nothing in this regulation shall prevent any doctor personally performing, in the course of providing general medical services (otherwise than by minor surgery services) to a patient, a procedure described in Schedule 7.