71ZE.—(1) A contractor must—
(a)offer and promote to its registered patients a relevant electronic communication method, and
(b)use the relevant electronic communication method to communicate with—
(i)a registered patient, or
(ii)where the registered patient is a person to whom paragraph (4) applies, an appropriate person acting on behalf of that patient.
(2) But paragraph (1)(b) does not require the contractor to use the relevant electronic communication method where—
(a)it would not be clinically appropriate to do so for the patient on that occasion, or
(b)it is otherwise not appropriate to the needs or circumstances of the patient.
(3) For the purposes of this regulation, a “relevant electronic communication method” is a method of electronic communication which is provided using appropriate software and can be used—
(a)by the contractor to respond, in writing in electronic form, to requests made through the online consultation tool, and
(b)by the contractor and its registered patients or appropriate persons acting on behalf of registered patients (as the case may be) to otherwise communicate with each other in writing in electronic form.
(4) This paragraph applies to a person if they—
(a)are a child, or
(b)lack the capacity to communicate with the contractor using the relevant electronic communication method or to authorise a person to do so on their behalf.]
Textual Amendments