National Health Service Act 1977

Section 6.

SCHEDULE 4Central Health Services Council and Advisory Committees

Constitution of Central Council

1(1)The number of members of the Central Council shall be not less than forty, and not more than forty-four, of whom—

(a)thirteen shall be nominated members in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) below;

(b)twenty-seven shall be selected members in accordance with sub-paragraph (5) below ; and

(c)the remaining members shall be such persons appointed by the Secretary of State as he thinks fit.

(2)The nominated members of the Central Council shall be—

(a)the persons for the time being holding the offices of—

• The President of the Royal College of Physicians of London ;

• The President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England ;

• The President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists ;

• The President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists ;

• The President of the Royal College of Pathologists ;

• The President of the Royal College of General Practitioners ;

• The President of the Royal College of Nursing and National Council of Nurses of the United Kingdom ;

• The President of the Royal College of Midwives ;

• The Chairman of the Council of the British Medical Association ;

• The Chairman of the Council of the British Dental Association ;

• The President of the Faculty of Community Medicine ;

• The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain; and

(b)one member of the Personal Social Services Council nominated by that body.

(3)Any office-holder specified in paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (2) above may notify the Secretary of State in writing of another member of the body in which he holds office who is to be a member of the Central Council in his place for such period or any part of such period as he holds that office.

(4)The person of whom such notification is given shall be a member of the Central Council—

(a)until he resigns ; or

(b)until the office-holder ceases to hold office; or

(c)until the office-holder notifies the Secretary of State in writing that he wishes some other person to be a member in his place or that he wishes to be a member himself.

(5)The selected members of the Central Council, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of State, shall be—

(a)eight medical practitioners ;

(b)two dental practitioners ;

(c)three registered nurses or certified midwives ;

(d)one registered pharmacist;

(e)one registered optician ;

(f)seven persons with experience in health service management;

(g)one person with qualifications or experience in social work; and

(h)four persons, who, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, are interested in the health service from the point of view of members of the public.

Before appointing any of the persons specified in paragraphs (a) to (g) respectively, the Secretary of State shall consult with such organisations as he may recognise as representative of such persons, and before appointing the persons specified in paragraph (h) he shall consult with such bodies as appear to him to be appropriate for this purpose.

Supplementary provisions

2Regulations may make provision with respect to the appointment, tenure of office and vacation of office of the members of the Central Council, and of any standing advisory committee constituted under section 6 above.

3The Secretary of State shall appoint a secretary to the Central Council and to each standing advisory committee.

4The Central Council may appoint such committees, and any standing advisory committee may appoint such sub-committees, as they think fit, and as are approved by the Secretary of State, to consider and report upon questions referred to them by the Central Council or standing advisory committee as the case may be.

Any such committee or sub-committee may include persons who are not members of the Central Council or standing advisory committee as the case may be.

5The Central Council and any standing advisory committee shall elect one of the members of the Council or committee as the case may be to be chairman of the Council or committee, and shall have power to regulate their own procedure.

6The proceedings of the Central Council or of any standing advisory committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy in the membership of the Council or committee, or by any defect in a member's appointment or qualification.