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

Regulation 5(1)

SCHEDULE 1 CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING RECOGNITION AS A FUND-HOLDING PRACTICE (REGULATION 5(1))

1.  On the date on which the application is made there are—

(a) in the case of an application for recognition as a community fund-holding practice, at least 3,000 patients, or

(b) in the case of an application for recognition as a standard fund-holding practice, at least 5,000 patients,

on the lists of patients of the members of the practice or, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, it is likely that there will be at least that many patients on those lists on the date on which any recognition would take effect in accordance with regulation 5(2).

2.  Where some or all of the members of the practice are practising in partnership, the application is made (whether or not with other persons) by all the members practising in the partnership.

3.  The practice is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, capable of managing an allotted sum effectively and efficiently.

4.  The members of the practice agree to comply with the conditions for continuing recognition set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

5.  Where the members of the practice are not partners in a single partnership, the members of the practice have entered into an agreement, approved by the Health Authority, which—

(a) provides that any act of a member of the practice with respect to the allotted sum binds the other members of the practice; and

(b) provides for the determination of how much of the allotted sum, including any savings, is to be allocated to each member of the practice.