National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

[F1Part IIS Duties, Powers and Status of NHS Trusts

Specific dutiesS

6(1)An NHS trust shall carry out effectively, efficiently and economically the functions for the time being conferred on it by an order under section 12A(1) and by the provisions of this Schedule and, with respect to the exercise of the powers conferred by an order under section 12A(8) or paragraphs 10 to 15, shall comply with any directions given to it by the Secretary of State, whether of a general or a particular nature.

(2)An NHS trust shall comply with any directions given to it by the Secretary of State with respect to all or any of the following matters—

(a)the qualifications of persons who may be appointed as officers of the trust;

(b)the employment, for the purpose of performing functions specified in the direction, of officers having qualifications or experience of a description so specified;

(c)the manner in which officers of the trust are to be appointed;

(d)prohibiting or restricting the disposal of, or of any interest in, any asset which, at the time the direction is given, the Secretary of State reasonably considers to have a value in excess of such sum as may be specified in an order under section 12A(1) and in respect of which the Secretary of State considers that the interests of the National Health Service require that the asset should not be disposed of;

(e)compliance with guidance or directions given (by circular or otherwise) to Health Boards or particular descriptions of Health Boards, or the Agency; and

(f)the implementation of awards relating to the distinction or merit of medical practitioners or dental practitioners or any class or classes of such practitioners.

[F2and with any directions given to it under section 1(1A) of the M1Hospital Complaints Procedure Act 1985]

7(1)For each accounting year an NHS trust shall prepare and send to the Secretary of State an annual report in such form as may be determined by the Secretary of State.S

(2)At such time or times as may be prescribed, an NHS trust shall hold a public meeting at which its audited accounts, its annual report, and such other documents as may be prescribed shall be presented.

(3)In such circumstances and at such time or times as may be prescribed, an NHS trust shall hold a public meeting at which such documents as may be prescribed shall be presented.

8SAn NHS trust shall furnish to the Secretary of State such reports, returns and other information, including information as to its forward planning as, and in such form as, he may require.

9(1)An NHS trust shall be liable to pay—

(a)to the chairman and any non-executive director of the trust—

(i)remuneration of an amount determined by the Secretary of State, not exceeding such amount as may be approved by the Treasury; and

(ii)such travelling and other allowances as may be determined by the Secretary of State with the approval of the Treasury; and

(b)to any member of a committee or sub-committee of the trust who is not also a director such travelling and other allowances as may be so determined.

(2)If an NHS trust so determines in the case of a person who is or has been a chairman of the trust, the trust shall be liable to pay such pension, allowances or gratuities to or in respect of him as may be determined by the Secretary of State with the approval of the Treasury.

(3)Different determinations may be made under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) in relation to different cases or description of cases.

Specific powersS

10SAn NHS trust may enter into NHS contracts.

11SAn NHS trust may undertake and commission research and make available staff and provide facilities for research by other persons.

12SAn NHS trust may—

(a)provide training for persons employed or likely to be employed by the trust or otherwise in the provision of services under this Act; and

(b)make facilities and staff available in connection with training by a university or any other body providing training in connection with the health service.

13SAn NHS trust may enter into arrangements for the carrying out on such terms as seem to it to be appropriate, of any of its functions jointly with any Health Board, with the Agency, with another NHS trust or with any other body or individual.

14SAccording to the nature of its functions, an NHS trust may make accommodation or services or both available for patients who give undertakings (or for whom undertakings are given) to pay, in respect of the accommodation or services (or both) such charges as the trust may determine.

15SFor the purpose of making additional income available in order better to perform its functions, an NHS trust shall have the powers specified in section 7(2) of the Health and Medicines Act M21988 (extension of powers of Secretary of State for financing the Health Service).

General powersS

16Subject to Schedule 7B, an NHS trust shall have power to do anything which appears to it to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of or in connection with the discharge of its functions, including in particular power—

(a)to acquire and dispose of land and other property;

(b)to enter into such contracts as seem to the trust to be appropriate;

(c)to accept gifts of money, land or other property, including money, land or other property to be held on trust, for purposes relating to any service which it is their function to provide, administer, or make arrangements for, which purposes shall include any purposes relating to a hospital or other establishment or facility which is provided or managed by the trust; and

(d)to employ staff on such terms as the trust thinks fit.

17SIn connection with arrangements relating to community care services (within the meaning of section 5A(4) (local authority plans for community care services) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968), the Secretary of State may by regulations make provision with respect to—

(a)the transfer to employment by a local authority of staff employed by an NHS trust; and

(b)the transfer to employment by a national Health Service body of staff transferred to employment by a local authority by virtue of this paragraph.

and for the purposes of this paragraph “National Health Service body” means an NHS trust, a Health Board or the Agency.

18SRegulations made under paragraph 17 may make such incidental and consequential provision in relation to staff transferred by virtue of that paragraph as may be made in relation to officers and servants of a Health Board transferred by virtue of regulations made under paragraph 8A of Schedule 1.

19SBefore making regulations under paragraph 17, the Secretary of State shall consult such bodies and organisations as appear to him to be concerned.

20(1)Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 16, to or in respect of such of its employees as it may determine, an NHS trust may make such arrangements for providing pensions, allowances or gratuities as it may determine; and such arrangements may include the establishment and administration, by the trust or otherwise, of one or more pension schemes.S

(2)The reference in sub-paragraph (1) to pensions, allowances or gratuities to or in respect of employees of an NHS trust includes a reference to pensions, allowances or gratuities by way of compensation to or in respect of any of the trust’s employees who suffer loss of office or employment or loss of diminution of emoluments.

StatusS

21SAn NHS trust shall not be regarded as the servant or agent of the Crown or, except as provided by this Act, as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown; and an NHS trust’s property shall not be regarded as property of, or property held on behalf of, the Crown.]