The National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2006

Removal from Ophthalmic List

12.—(1) Where a Board has determined that a person whose name has been included in its Ophthalmic List–

(a) has died;

(b) has ceased to be an ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician;

(c) has been convicted in the British Islands of murder;

(d) has been disqualified;

(e) has been refused entry to, or removed from, an equivalent list by an equivalent body on grounds corresponding (whether or not exactly) to a condition for disqualification; or

(f) any order has been made or any direction has been given in terms of the Medical Act 1983 (in the case of an ophthalmic medical practitioner) or the Opticians Act 1989 (in the case of an optician) that the applicant’s registration in the register should be erased, removed or suspended,

it shall remove that person’s name from the Ophthalmic List with effect from the date of its determination or, in the case of (d) above, the date on which the disqualification takes effect if that date is later than the date of the Board’s determination, and shall notify that person as soon as practicable of the removal and the grounds for the removal.

(2) Where a Board determines after consultation with any appropriate area medical committee in the case of an ophthalmic medical practitioner, or with any appropriate area optical committee in the case of an optician, that a person whose name has been included for the preceding 6 months in the first part of the Ophthalmic List of the Board has not during that period provided general ophthalmic services for persons in the Board’s area, the Board shall remove the name of that person from its Ophthalmic List.

(3) Where a Board determines after consultation with any appropriate area medical committee in the case of an ophthalmic medical practitioner, or with any appropriate area optical committee in the case of an optician that a person whose name has been included for the preceding 12 months in the second part of the Ophthalmic List of the Board has not during that period assisted with the provision of general ophthalmic services for persons in the Board’s area, the Board may remove the name of that person from its Ophthalmic List.

(4) In calculating the periods of 6 and 12 months referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) the Board shall disregard any period during which the ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician (or the case may be)–

(a) was not included in its Ophthalmic List;

(b) was suspended;

(c) was performing a period of relevant service in the armed forces;

(d) was suspended from the Ophthalmic List by the Health Board;

(e) was suspended from the register.

(5) Before making any determination under paragraphs (2) or (3) the Health Board shall give the contractor or the ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician assisting with the provision of general ophthalmic services 28 days' notice of its intention so to do and shall afford that person an opportunity of making representations to the Board orally or in writing, if he or she so wishes.

(6) No determination under this regulation shall be made in respect of any ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician who has completed a period of relevant service in the armed forces until 12 months after the date when that person completed that period of relevant service in the armed forces.

(7) Nothing in this regulation shall prejudice the right of a person to have that person’s name included again in a Board’s Ophthalmic List.

(8) Any document which is required or authorised to be given to any person under this regulation may be given by delivering it to that person or by sending it by recorded delivery service to that person’s usual or last known place of business as recorded in the Ophthalmic List or in the case of an ophthalmic medical practitioner or optician who assists in the provision of general ophthalmic services to his or her home address.

(9) Paragraph (1) is without prejudice to any duty on a Board to remove an ophthalmic medical practitioner or an optician from an Ophthalmic List by virtue of that person being suspended under section 32A or 32B of the Act.

(10) Where information about the conviction(s) of any person on an Ophthalmic List or any other information relating to such a person is disclosed to a Board, including by means of an enhanced criminal record certificate, and the Board considers that the disclosure may be grounds for removal of that person from the Board’s Ophthalmic List (other than under paragraph (1), (2) or (3)) then the Board may refer the matter to the Tribunal.