The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013

Removal of listings: cases relating to death, incapacity or cessation of serviceU.K.

This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum

74.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4), if an NHS chemist (C)—

(a)dies;

(b)in the case of an NHS pharmacist, ceases to carry on a retail pharmacy business; or

(c)in the case of an NHS appliance contractor, ceases to carry on a business in the course of which C supplies appliances either by retail sale or in circumstances corresponding to retail sale,

[F1NHS England] must remove C from the relevant pharmaceutical lists.

(2) Paragraph (1)(a) or (b) shall not apply in the case of an NHS pharmacist, if—

(a)a representative of C (as defined in section 72 of the 1968 Act M1 (representative of pharmacist in case of death or disability)) is carrying on the retail pharmacy business of C that is included in the relevant pharmaceutical list (“the business”);

(b)the conditions specified in section 72(2) of the 1968 Act are fulfilled in relation to the representative and the business;

(c)the period applicable in accordance with section 72(3) of the 1968 Act has not expired; and

(d)the representative has agreed to be bound by, and continues to agree to be bound by, C's terms of service.

(3) If [F1NHS England] determines that C has not, during the preceding 6 months, provided pharmaceutical services at chemist premises (“the particular premises”) listed in a particular pharmaceutical list—

(a)if there are other chemist premises listed in that pharmaceutical list in relation to C, [F1NHS England] must remove the listing of the particular premises from that list; or

(b)if there are no other chemist premises listed in that pharmaceutical list in relation to C, [F1NHS England] must remove C from that list.

(4) When determining, for the purposes of paragraph (1) or (3), whether C has ceased to carry on a business or ceased to provide pharmaceutical services, no account is to be taken of any time spent by C—

(a)suspended from a relevant pharmaceutical list;

(b)in whole-time service in the armed forces of the Crown in a national emergency;

(c)in compulsory whole-time service in the armed forces of the Crown (including service resulting from reserve liability); or

(d)where C is liable for compulsory whole-time service in the armed forces of the Crown, in any equivalent service,

and in a case of C ceasing to carry on a business, no account is to be taken of the first 6 months after C completes that whole-time service in the armed forces of the Crown or equivalent service.

(5) Before taking a decision to remove C, or chemist premises listed in relation to C, from a pharmaceutical list under paragraph (1) or (3), [F1NHS England] must—

(a)give notice to C (or, in appropriate circumstances, a person whom [F1NHS England] reasonably believes is representing C or is an executor of C) of the decision that [F1NHS England] is minded to take;

(b)as part of that notification, advise C (or the representative or executor) that they may make—

(i)written representations to [F1NHS England] with regard to that action, provided they notify [F1NHS England] with those representations within 30 days beginning with the date of the notification by [F1NHS England], and

(ii)oral representations to [F1NHS England] with regard to that action, provided—

(aa)they notify [F1NHS England] of their wish to do so within 30 days beginning with the date of the notification by [F1NHS England], and

(bb)C (or the representative or executor, or someone representing the representative or executor) attends the hearing that [F1NHS England] arranges for the purpose of hearing those representations, which [F1NHS England] must give C reasonable notice of; and

(c)consult any Local Pharmaceutical Committee whose area includes the chemist premises that [F1NHS England] is minded to remove from the pharmaceutical list.

(6) If [F1NHS England] does decide to remove C, or chemist premises listed in relation to C, from a pharmaceutical list under paragraph (1) or (3), it must, when it notifies C of that decision, include in that notification—

(a)a statement of the reasons for the decision; and

(b)an explanation of how C's rights of appeal under regulation 77(1)(d) may be exercised.