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

[F1Requirement to have and maintain an online presenceE+W

This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum

73.—(1) A contractor must have—

(a)a practice website, or

(b)an online practice profile.

(2) The contractor must publish on its practice website or profile (as the case may be) all the information which is required to be included in its practice leaflet.

(3) The contractor must publish that information otherwise than by making its practice leaflet available for viewing or downloading.

(4) The contractor must review the information available on its practice website or profile at least once in every period of 12 months.

(5) The contractor must make any amendments necessary to maintain the accuracy of the information on its website or profile following—

(a)a review under paragraph (4);

(b)a change to—

(i)the address of any of the contractor’s practice premises,

(ii)the contractor’s telephone number,

(iii)the contractor’s electronic-mail address (if made available on its website or profile), or

(iv)any other stated means by which a patient may contact the contractor to book or amend an appointment, or to order repeat prescriptions for drugs, medicines or appliances.

[F2(5A) The contractor must also ensure there are links on its website or profile which direct people to—

(a)its online consultation tool, and

(b)the symptom checker and self-care information available on the NHS website.

(5B) The links mentioned in paragraph (5A) must be displayed prominently on the home page (or equivalent) of its website or profile (as the case may be).]

(6) The requirements in this regulation are in addition to those in regulation 27 and paragraph 8(8) of Schedule 3.

(7) In these Regulations, “online practice profile” means a profile—

(a)which is on a website (other than the NHS website), or an online platform, provided by another person for use by the contractor, and

(b)through which the contractor advertises the primary medical services it provides.]

Textual Amendments