Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994

Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 8)

24 (1) After subsection (7) of section 52 of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (claims relating to attendance allowance, disability living allowance and disability working allowance) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(7A) Any reference in subsections (3) to (7) above to a medical practitioner who is an officer of the Department includes a reference to a medical practitioner who is provided by any person in pursuance of a contract entered into with the Department.”

(2) Sub-paragraph (3) below applies where a consent given before the commencement of this Part authorises the disclosure of any information to the Department, or to a medical practitioner who is an officer of the Department.

(3) The consent shall have effect as if it also authorised the disclosure of the information—

(a) to a medical practitioner who is provided by any person in pursuance of a contract entered into with the Department, and

(b) if and to the extent that the Department so directs, to any employee of such a practitioner.

(4) In this paragraph—

• “the Department” means the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland;

• “employee”, in relation to a medical practitioner, includes any person who performs ancillary services for the practitioner, and any employee of such a person;

• “medical practitioner” has the same meaning as in that Act.

25 After subsection (6) of section 117 of that Act (disclosure of information relating to particular persons) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(6A) Subsection (6) above shall have effect as if any medical practitioner who, for the purposes of section 52 above, is provided by any person in pursuance of a contract entered into with the Department were specified in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act”.