The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004

Variation provisions specific to a contract with an individual medical practitioner

105.—(1) If a contractor which is an individual medical practitioner proposes to practise in partnership with one or more persons during the existence of the contract, the contractor shall notify the Primary Care Trust in writing of—

(a) the name of the person or persons with whom it proposes to practise in partnership; and

(b) the date on which the contractor wishes to change its status as a contractor from that of an individual medical practitioner to that of a partnership, which shall be not less than 28 days after the date upon which it has served the notice on the Primary Care Trust pursuant to this sub-paragraph.

(2) A notice under sub-paragraph (1) shall in respect of the person or each of the persons with whom the contractor is proposing to practise in partnership, and also in respect of itself as regards the matters specified in paragraph (c)—

(a) confirm that he is either—

(i) a medical practitioner, or

(ii) a person who satisfies the conditions specified in section 28S(2)(b)(i) to (iv) of the Act(1);

(b) confirm that he is a person who satisfies the conditions imposed by regulations 4 and 5; and

(c) state whether or not it is to be a limited partnership, and if so, who is to be a limited and who a general partner,

and the notice shall be signed by the individual medical practitioner and by the person, or each of the persons (as the case may be), with whom he is proposing to practise in partnership.

(3) The contractor shall ensure that any person who will practise in partnership with it is bound by the contract, whether by virtue of a partnership deed or otherwise.

(4) If the Primary Care Trust is satisfied as to the accuracy of the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) that are included in the notice, the Primary Care Trust shall give notice in writing to the contractor confirming that the contract shall continue with the partnership entered into by the contractor and its partners, from a date that the Primary Care Trust specifies in that notice.

(5) Where it is reasonably practicable, the date specified by the Primary Care Trust pursuant to sub-paragraph (4) shall be the date requested in the notice served by the contractor pursuant to sub-paragraph (1), or, where that date is not reasonably practicable, the date specified shall be a date after the requested date that is as close to the requested date as is reasonably practicable.

(6) Where a contractor has given notice to the Primary Care Trust pursuant to sub-paragraph (1), the Primary Care Trust—

(a) may vary the contract but only to the extent that it is satisfied is necessary to reflect the change in status of the contractor from an individual medical practitioner to a partnership; and

(b) if it does propose to so vary the contract, it shall include in the notice served on the contractor pursuant to sub-paragraph (4) the wording of the proposed variation and the date upon which that variation is to take effect.

(1)

Section 28S was inserted into the Act by section 175(1) of the 2003 Act.