Part 4 E+WDental and medical services

Primary medical servicesE+W

174Provision of primary medical servicesE+W

In the 1977 Act, after section 16CB (as inserted by section 171 above) insert—

“16CCPrimary medical services

(1)Each Primary Care Trust and Local Health Board must, to the extent that it considers necessary to meet all reasonable requirements, exercise its powers so as to provide primary medical services within its area, or secure their provision within its area.

(2)A Primary Care Trust or Local Health Board may (in addition to any other power conferred on it)—

(a)provide primary medical services itself (whether within or outside its area);

(b)make such arrangements for their provision (whether within or outside its area) as it thinks fit, and may in particular make contractual arrangements with any person.

(3)Each Primary Care Trust and Local Health Board must publish information about such matters as may be prescribed in relation to the primary medical services provided under this Part.

(4)A body on which functions are conferred under this section must co-operate with any other such body in the discharge of their respective functions relating to the provision of primary medical services under this Part.

(5)Regulations may provide that services of a prescribed description are, or are not, to be regarded as primary medical services for the purposes of this Part.

(6)Regulations under this section may in particular describe services by reference to the manner or circumstances in which they are provided.”