The National Health Service (Fund-holding Practices) Regulations 1996

Payments to a member of the fund-holding practice

24.—(1) The members of a fund-holding practice may apply the allotted sum for the purposes of paying a medical practitioner who is a member of the practice but only—

(a) in accordance with an arrangement made in pursuance of paragraph (2);

(b) pursuant to regulation 23(7)(c)(ii); or

(c) pursuant to regulation 25(2)(d) or (e).

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the members of a standard fund-holding practice may, with the written consent of the Health Authority, enter into an arrangement with a medical practitioner who is a member of the practice for the provision by that medical practitioner of services which are included in Part I of the list mentioned in regulation 20(2) to patients who are on the lists of patients of members of the practice.

(3) The Health Authority shall not consent to an arrangement made under paragraph (2) unless it is satisfied that—

(a) the services to be provided are included in Part I of the list mentioned in regulation 20(2);

(b) the medical practitioner with whom the arrangement is to be made to provide those services is suitably qualified, competent and experienced;

(c) the facilities, including premises, for the provision of those services are suitable, and

(d) the payments which it is proposed shall be made in respect of the provision of those services—

(i) are reasonable,

(ii) represent value for money, and

(iii) are to be made directly to the medical practitioner who provides the services or to the partnership of which he is a member and not to any third party.

(4) Where the members of a practice have obtained the consent of the Health Authority under paragraph (2) they shall give notice to that Health Authority of any change in the matters specified in paragraph (3).

(5) Where a Health Authority receives notice as mentioned in paragraph (4), it shall either confirm or withdraw its consent.