[F1 General medical services contractsN.I.

General medical services contracts: paymentsN.I.

57C.—(1) The Department may [F2make a scheme providing for] payments to be made under general medical services contracts.

(2) A general medical services contract must require payments to be made under the contract in accordance with [F3any scheme] for the time being in force under this Article.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the power under paragraph (1) [F4a scheme] under that paragraph may—

(a)provide for payments to be made by reference to compliance with standards or the achievement of levels of performance;

(b)provide for payments to be made by reference to—

(i)[F5any method of calculation] or scale specified in the [F6scheme] ; or

(ii)a determination made by any person in accordance with factors specified in the [F6scheme] ;

(c)provide for the making of payments in respect of individual practitioners;

(d)provide that the whole or any part of a payment is subject to conditions (and may provide that payments are payable by [F7the Department] only if it is satisfied as to certain conditions)

(e)make provision having effect from a date before the date of the [F6scheme] , provided that, having regard to the [F6scheme] as a whole, the provision is not detrimental to the persons to whose remuneration it relates.

(4) Before [F8making a scheme] under paragraph (1), the Department—

(a)shall consult any body appearing to it to be representative of persons to whose remuneration the [F9scheme] would relate, and

(b)may consult such other persons as it thinks appropriate.

[F10(4A) The Department must publish a scheme under paragraph (1) in such manner as it thinks appropriate.]

(5) References in this Article to payments include fees, allowances, reimbursements, loans and repayments.]