These Regulations further amend the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 (S.I.1992/635), which regulate the terms upon which General Medical Services are provided under the National Health Service Act 1977.

The terms of service for doctors contained in Schedule 2 to those Regulations are amended to enable doctors to keep medical records relating to their patients either on paper or on computer or both.

Where a doctor wishes to keep records either wholly or partly on computer, he or she must first obtain the Health Authority’s consent.

Where a doctor is required to send copies of his or her records to the Health Authority, the doctor may only provide them other than in written form where the Health Authority has consented.

In each case, the Health Authority will give its consent where it is satisfied by the doctor about various matters specified in these regulations.