Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992, which regulate the terms on which general medical services are provided under the National Health Service Act 1977.

Regulation 2 amends regulations 12A and 13 of the 1992 Regulations (which concern the re-advertisement of practice vacancies and the subsequent selection of applicants for practice vacancies) to remove the need for a Family Health Services Authority (“FHSA”) to make a resolution to give no more notices of a practice vacancy if 20 or more applications have been received in respect of the vacancy, or the maximum of 3 further notices advertising the vacancy has already been reached.

Regulation 3 amends doctors' terms of service to enable doctors to treat patients at premises other than their practice premises outside their normal hours of availability. They must first obtain FHSA approval and must inform their patients of the address of any such premises. The premises must be proper and sufficient, and may be inspected by the FHSA or the Local Medical Committee. Regulation 3 also amends doctors' terms of service to say that a deputy doctor may not treat patients at any premises approved under the new provision unless the doctor for whom he is acting has obtained the necessary approval.

Regulation 4 amends doctors' terms of service to add providing or prescribing drugs against developing malaria to the list of services for which a doctor may a charge a fee.