Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
1998 No. 193

HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES
The Health Services (Pilot Schemes: Financial Assistance for Preparatory Work) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Made
19th May 1998

Coming into operation
22nd June 1998

The Department of Health and Social Services, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 18(1) and (3) and 31(2) of the Health Services (Primary Care) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997(1) and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Health Services (Pilot Schemes: Financial Assistance for Preparatory Work) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 and shall come into operation on 22nd June 1998.

Provision of financial assistance to prepare proposals

2.—(1) A board may make payments of financial assistance for preparatory work in connection with preparing proposals for a pilot scheme.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, a payment mentioned in paragraph (1) shall be made only following receipt by the board of a written application from a person (“the applicant”)—

(a)who wishes to provide piloted services; and

(b)with whom an agreement which constitutes, or is part of, a pilot scheme may be made(2).

(3) Payments of financial assistance may be made under this regulation only if—

(a)the applicant specifies in his application the purposes for which he intends to use the payment of financial assistance for which he has applied;

(b)the board has notified the applicant in writing that it is willing to make a payment of financial assistance to him for the purposes so specified, and of the maximum amount of the payment which it is willing to make; and

(c)the applicant has satisfied the board that—

(i)he has incurred costs which are not less than the amount of the payment of financial assistance;

(ii)the costs were incurred before the date specified in directions(3), given by the Department to boards, as the latest date by which proposals must be submitted by boards to the Department; and

(iii)the costs were incurred for the purposes specified in the application.

(4) Where two or more persons have together applied for financial assistance, payment may be made to any one of them on behalf of them all; but otherwise in such a case “the applicant” means all of them together.

Conditions on payments of financial assistance to prepare proposals

3.—(1) A person to whom a payment of financial assistance is made under regulation 2 shall comply with any conditions which the board may impose in writing in connection with the requirements mentioned in that regulation.

(2) A person to whom a payment of financial assistance is made under regulation 2 who fails to comply with any conditions imposed by the board under this regulation shall, on demand by the board, repay the amount of the payment forthwith.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on

L.S.
Joan Dixon
Assistant Secretary
19th May 1998.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations make provision as to payments of financial assistance to persons wishing to participate in a pilot scheme for the provision of personal medical services or personal dental services under the Health Services (Primary Care) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.
The Regulations provide that a Health and Social Services Board (“a board”) may make payments of financial assistance in respect of work reasonably undertaken in connection with the preparation of proposals for a pilot scheme (i.e. work undertaken before approval of the proposals) and prescribe requirements which an applicant must satisfy in relation to any payment (regulation 2). The Regulations also provide that a board may impose conditions with which an applicant must comply in connection with the requirements prescribed in regulation 2, and for repayment where those conditions are not met (regulation 3).
The Directions to boards concerning the preparation of proposals for pilot schemes, which are referred to in these Regulations, can be obtained from—

Primary Care and Purchasing Development Directorate

Health and Social Services Executive

Room 436, Dundonald House

Upper Newtownards Road

Belfast BT4 3SF.



(1)
S.I. 1997/1177 (N.I. 7)

(2)
See Articles 4(2) and 5(2) of S.I. 1997/1177 (N.I. 7)

(3)
See the Directions to Health and Social Services Boards concerning the preparation of proposals for pilot schemes, made under Article 6 of S.I. 1997/1177 (N.I. 7)