The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Regulations 2004

Agreement sanctions and the dispute resolution procedure

72.—(1) If there is a dispute between the Health Board and the provider in relation to an agreement sanction that the Health Board is proposing to impose, the Health Board shall not, subject to sub-paragraph (4), impose the proposed agreement sanction except in the circumstances specified in sub-paragraph (2)(a) or (b).

(2) If the provider refers the dispute relating to the agreement sanction to the NHS dispute resolution procedure within 28 days beginning on the date on which the Health Board served notice on the provider in accordance with paragraph 71(4) (or such longer period as may be agreed in writing with the Health Board), and notifies the Health Board in writing that it has done so, the Health Board shall not impose the agreement sanctions unless–

(a)there has been a determination of the dispute pursuant to paragraph 57 and that determination permits the Health Board to impose the agreement sanction; or

(b)the provider ceases to pursue the NHS dispute resolution procedure,

whichever is the sooner.

(3) If the provider does not invoke the NHS dispute resolution procedure within the time specified in sub-paragraph (2), the Health Board shall be entitled to impose the agreement sanction forthwith.

(4) If the Health Board is satisfied that it is necessary to impose the agreement sanction before the NHS dispute resolution procedure is concluded in order to–

(a)protect the safety of the provider’s patients; or

(b)protect itself from material financial loss,

the Health Board shall be entitled to impose the agreement sanction forthwith, pending the outcome of that procedure.