The Health Authorities Act 1995 (Amendment of Transitional Provisions and Modification of References) Order 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made in connection with the abolition, by the Health Authorities Act 1995 on 1st April 1996, of Regional Health Authorities, District Health Authorities and Family Health Services Authorities, and the establishment under the National Health Service Act 1977 of Health Authorities to exercise functions in relation to the National Health Service.

Article 2 of this Order amends the Health Authorities Act 1995 (Transitional Provisions) Order 1996 (“the principal Order”) to make further provision for the transfer of staff employed by District Health Authorities and Family Health Services Authorities, and for the transfer of trust property held by District Health Authorities (article 2(2), (3) and (8)), and for continuity in the exercise of functions—in particular those exercised by Family Health Services Authorities before 1st April 1996 in respect of persons providing, or seeking to provide, Family Health Services under Part II of the National Health Service Act 1977 (article 2(4) and (5)(b)), and generally in relation to functions exercised by all of the Authorities abolished on 1st April 1996 (article 2(5)(a) and (6)). Amendments are also made to the principal Order to make transitional provision in relation to Local Representative Committees, pharmaceutical services, general dental services, the National Health Service Tribunal and fund-holding practices (article 2(7)).

Article 3 of this Order makes provision in relation to references, in statutory provisions and elsewhere, to the bodies abolished on 1st April 1996 and the areas for which they were established to act. Textual amendments are made in one local Act (article 3(1)), and provision is made for the construction of such references in instruments (including statutory instruments) and other documents (article 3(2)).