51.—(1) The contractor (other than a Primary Care Trust) shall co-operate with—
(a)any investigation of a complaint in relation to any matter reasonably connected with the provision of services under the agreement undertaken by—
(i)the Relevant Body; and
(ii)[F1the Health Service Commissioner]; and
(b)any investigation of a complaint by an NHS body or local authority which relates to a patient or former patient of the contractor.
(2) In sub-paragraph (1)—
“NHS body” means a Primary Care Trust, an NHS trust, an NHS foundation trust, a Strategic Health Authority, a Local Health Board, a Health Board, a Health and Social Services Board, a Health and Social Services Trust or, a Health Board or Special Health Board constituted under section 2 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 M1;
“local authority” means—
[F2“Health Service Commissioner” means the person appointed Health Service Commissioner for England in accordance with section 1 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993.]
(3) The co-operation required by sub-paragraph (1) includes—
(a)answering questions reasonably put to the contractor by the Relevant Body;
(b)providing any information relating to the complaint reasonably required by the Relevant Body; and
(c)attending any meeting to consider the complaint (if held at a reasonably accessible place and at a reasonable hour, and due notice has been given) if the contractor's presence at the meeting is reasonably required by the Relevant Body.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 3 para. 51(1)(a)(ii) substituted (1.4.2009) by The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/309), reg. 1(2), Sch. para. 6(3)(b)(i) (with Sch. para. 8)
F2Words in Sch. 3 para. 51(2) added (1.4.2009) by The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/309), reg. 1(2), Sch. para. 6(3)(b)(ii) (with Sch. para. 8)
Marginal Citations
M21970 c. 42; section 1 was amended by the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), section 195; and by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19), Schedule 10, paragraph 7.