Health Services Act 1976

Common waiting-lists

6 Recommendations on arrangements for securing use of NHS facilities on basis of medical priority

(1) The Board shall within the initial period make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to what arrangements for affording persons admission or access as resident or non-resident private patients to authorised accommodation and services are, in the opinion of the Board, best suited for securing that all persons admitted or afforded access to accommodation or services at NHS hospitals as resident or non-resident patients are, so far as is practicable, admitted or afforded access thereto on the basis of medical priority alone, whether they come as private patients or not.

(2) In subsection (1) above " authorised accommodation and services" means such accommodation and services at NHS hospitals as for the time being remain authorised under section 1(1) or 2(1) of the 1968 Act for use in connection with the treatment of resident or non-resident private patients.

(3) In deciding what recommendations to make under this section the Board shall take into account all relevant considerations and shall, in particular, have regard to the advice of the Scottish and Welsh Committees and to any representations made to the Board by any body representing persons of any of the following descriptions who are likely to be affected by the recommendations, namely—

(a) medical practitioners;

(b) dental practitioners ; and

(c) persons (other than medical and dental practitioners) employed in one or other of the national health services,

or by any body concerned with the interests of patients at NHS hospitals likely to be so affected.