(1)Every Health Board—
(a)must, to the extent that they consider necessary to meet all reasonable requirements, provide or secure the provision of primary medical services as respects their area; and
(b)may, to such extent, provide or secure the provision of primary medical services as respects the area of another Health Board,
and primary medical services provided, or the provision of which is secured, by a Health Board under or by virtue of this subsection may be performed outside their area.
(2)For the purpose of securing the provision of primary medical services under subsection (1), a Health Board may make such arrangements for the provision of the services as they think fit F2. . . .
[F3(2A)But any contractual arrangement which a Health Board makes in pursuance of subsection (2) (other than an NHS contract) must be an agreement under section 17C, a general medical services contract or a contract which meets the requirement in subsection (2B).
(2B)The requirement is that, were the contract an agreement under section 17C, the parties to the contract (other than the Board) would be persons with whom the Board could enter into such an agreement by virtue of section 17CA.]
(3)A Health Board must publish information about such matters as may be prescribed in relation to the primary medical services provided under this Part.
(4)Without prejudice to [F4sections 12J and] 13, Health Boards must co-operate with one another in discharging their respective functions relating to the provision of primary medical services under this Part.
(5)Regulations may provide that services of a prescribed description are, or are not, to be regarded as primary medical services for the purposes of this Act.
(6)Such regulations may in particular describe services by reference to the manner or the circumstances in which they are provided.
(7)F5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(8)Anything done by a Health Board in pursuance of subsection (1) or (2) is to be regarded as done in exercise of functions of the Scottish Ministers conferred on the Health Board by an order under section 2(1)(a).]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 2C inserted (13.2.2004 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2004) by Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 1), ss. 1(2), 9(1); S.S.I. 2004/58, art. 2(1)(3), Sch.
F2Words in s. 2C(2) omitted (22.12.2010) by virtue of Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 3), ss. 37(a), 43(3); S.S.I. 2010/372, art. 2(b), Sch. 2
F3S. 2C(2A)(2B) inserted (22.12.2010) by Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 3), {ss. 37(b), 43(3)}; S.S.I. 2010/372, art. 2(b), Sch. 2
F4Words in s. 2C(4) substituted (30.9.2004) by National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 7), ss. 11(1), 12(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(3); S.S.I. 2004/361, art. 2(b)(iv)