Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Primary Care Trusts (Membership, Procedure and Administration Arrangements) Regulations 2000 (“the principal Regulations”).

Regulations 2(a) to (c), 3(2)(d) and (e) and (3), 5 and 6 make amendments to the principal Regulations consequential on changes to the organisation of the health service in England and Wales. In particular, they remove references to Primary Care Groups which no longer exist; insert references to Strategic Health Authorities consequential on the renaming of Health Authorities in England as Strategic Health Authorities by section 1 of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002; and insert or substitute references to Local Health Boards which replaced Health Authorities in Wales from 1st April 2003.

Regulation 3(2)(a) and (b) amends the grounds for disqualification for appointment as a chairman or non-officer member in regulation 5 of the principal Regulations. Regulation 3(2)(a) extends disqualification to convictions in all parts of the world rather than just the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Regulation 3(2)(b) extends the grounds relating to bankruptcy and arrangements with creditors to cover the Scottish equivalents of sequestration of estates and the granting of trust deeds. Regulation 3(2)(c) provides for disqualification of those who have been removed or disqualified from a primary care list on grounds of efficiency, suitability or fraud. A definition of primary care list is inserted in the principal Regulations by regulation 2(d). Regulation 4 makes amendments to regulation 6 of the principal Regulations consequential on the changes made by regulation 3.

Regulation 7 amends the rules relating to indirect pecuniary interests in regulation 11(5) of the principal Regulations to apply them to all people living together as a couple rather than just to those who are married.