The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015

Additional services: permanent opt outs

37.—(1) In this regulation—

“A day” is the day specified by the contractor in the permanent opt out notice which the contractor gives to the Board for the commencement of the permanent opt out;

“B day” is the day six months after the date on which the permanent opt out notice was given to the Board; and

“C day” is the day nine months after the date on which the permanent opt out notice was given to the Board.

(2) The Board must, as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the Board receives a permanent opt out notice under regulation 35(5) (or temporary opt out notice which is treated as a permanent opt out notice under regulation 35(7))—

(a) approve the opt out notice; or

(b) reject the opt out notice in accordance with paragraph (4).

(3) The Board must give notice to the contractor of its decision under paragraph (2) as soon as possible, including the reasons for its decision where that decision is to reject the opt out notice.

(4) The Board may reject the opt out notice on the ground that the contractor is providing an additional service to patients other than its registered patients, or enhanced services.

(5) A contractor may not withdraw an opt out notice once that notice has been approved by the Board in accordance with paragraph (2)(a) without the Board’s agreement.

(6) If the Board approves the opt out notice under paragraph (2)(a), the Board must use reasonable endeavours to make arrangements for the contractor’s patients to receive the additional service from an alternative provider from A day.

(7) The contractor’s duty to provide the additional service terminates on A day unless the Board gives notice to the contractor under paragraph (8) (extending A day to B day or C day).

(8) If the Board is not successful in finding an alternative provider to take on the provision of the additional service from A day, then the Board must give notice in writing to the contractor of that fact no later than one month before A day, and in a case where A day is—

(a) three months after the date on which the opt out notice was given, the contractor must continue to provide the additional service until B day unless, at least one month before B day, the contractor is given notice in writing by the Board under paragraph (9) to the effect that, despite using reasonable endeavours, the Board has not been able to find an alternative provider to take on the provision of the additional service from B day;

(b) six months after the opt out notice was given, the contractor must continue to provide the additional service until C day.

(9) Where, in accordance with paragraph (8)(a), the permanent opt out is to commence on B day and the Board, despite using reasonable endeavours, has not been able to find an alternative provider to take on the provision of the additional service from that day, the Board must give notice in writing to the contractor of that fact at least one month before B day, in which case the contractor must continue to provide the additional service until C day.

(10) As soon as is practicable and, in any event, within seven days of the Board giving notice to the contractor under paragraph (9), the Board must enter into discussions with the contractor concerning the support that the Board is able to give to the contractor or other changes which the Board or the contractor may make in relation to the provision of the additional service until C day.

(11) Nothing in the preceding paragraphs prevents the contractor and the Board from agreeing a different date for the termination of the contractor’s duty under the contract to provide the additional service and, accordingly, varying the contract in accordance with regulation 29 and Part 8 of Schedule 3.

(12) The permanent opt out takes effect at 8.00am on the relevant day unless—

(a) the day is Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Christmas Day, or a bank holiday in which case the opt out is to take effect on the next working day at 8.00am; or

(b) the Board and the contractor agree a different day or time.