The Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

• Citation: S.I. 2019/1293
• Sections: 9

Section 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

(2) These Regulations come into force on exit day .

(3) In these Regulations—

“ the Authority ” means the NHS Business Services Authority (Awdurdod Gwasanaethau Busnes y GIG) established under article 2 of the NHS Business Services Authority (Awdurdod Gwasanaethau Busnes y GIG) (Establishment and Constitution) Order 2005 ;

“ enactment ” includes—

an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, primary legislation ; and

any retained direct EU legislation ;

“ health service body ” means—

an NHS body as defined in section 275 of the National Health Service Act 2006 (interpretation) or in section 206 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (interpretation);

a body listed in section 17A(2)(a) to (c) or (e) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 (NHS contracts) or in article 8(2)(a) to (d) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (health and social care contracts); or

a provider of healthcare who is a public authority (not falling within sub-paragraph (a) or (b));

“ healthcare arrangement ” means—

a healthcare agreement ; or

an arrangement, other than a healthcare agreement, made by the Secretary of State, for or in connection with the provision of healthcare in a member state;

“ listed healthcare arrangement ” means a healthcare arrangement included in the list maintained in accordance with regulation 8;

“ maternity application ” means an application for authorisation to travel to a member state (or another member state) for the purpose of receiving healthcare in connection with giving birth in that member state;

“ member state ” means an EEA state or Switzerland;

“ relevant health board ” means—

in relation to England and in relation to relevant persons, NHS England, the body corporate established under section 1H of the National Health Service Act 2006 ;

in relation to Wales, a Local Health Board established under section 11 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006;

in relation to Scotland, a Health Board constituted under section 2 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 ;

in relation to Northern Ireland, the Regional Health and Social Care Board established under section 7 of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 ; and

“ relevant person ” means a person residing in a member state needing authorisation from the United Kingdom to travel to another member state for the purpose of receiving healthcare under a healthcare arrangement.

Section 2 Functions relating to healthcare payments and assisting the Secretary of State

Subject to, and in accordance with, such instructions as the Secretary of State may give, the Authority must—

(a) make payments under section 1 of the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019 (power to make healthcare payments); and

(b) assist the Secretary of State in relation to the Secretary of State's exercise of—

(i) functions under that section;

(ii) functions in giving effect to healthcare arrangements; and

(iii) functions otherwise in connection with the provision of healthcare in a member state.

Section 3 Functions relating to transitional reciprocal arrangements

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Section 4 Functions relating to healthcare arrangements

(1) The Authority must give effect to the obligations and commitments of the United Kingdom under any listed healthcare arrangements.

(2) The duty in paragraph (1) includes (but is not limited to) doing the following in accordance with any listed healthcare arrangements—

(a) processing and determining any applications or claims, including any maternity applications;

(b) registering any entitlements;

(c) making any payments; and

(d) issuing any documents verifying entitlement to the provision of healthcare.

(3) But the duty in paragraph (1) does not include a duty to give effect to the obligations and commitments of the United Kingdom under a listed healthcare arrangement to the extent that—

(a) doing so involves the discharge of the duty of a relevant health board under regulation 6(1); or

(b) the Secretary of State or another person is under a duty to give, is due to give, or has given, effect to those obligations or commitments.

(4) The Secretary of State may give effect to any listed healthcare arrangements, and that power includes (but is not limited to) a power to do the things mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) to (d).

(5) But the power in paragraph (4) does not include a power to give effect to a listed healthcare arrangement to the extent that doing so involves the exercise of a function exercisable by a devolved authority under regulation 6(3) or another enactment.

Section 5 Functions relating to information and advice

(1) The Authority must establish and maintain a service making available to the public information and advice in relation to—

(a) its functions under these Regulations;

(b) the provision of healthcare under healthcare arrangements; and

(c) any evidential or administrative requirements or processes under those arrangements.

(2) The service referred to in paragraph (1) may include information and advice in relation to such other matters relating to healthcare arrangements or in connection with the provision of healthcare in a member state as the Authority considers appropriate.

Section 6 Functions relating to authorisation for planned healthcare

(1) Relevant health boards must determine planned healthcare applications, and must do so in accordance with any listed healthcare arrangements.

(2) But the duty in paragraph (1) does not include a duty to determine a planned healthcare application to the extent that the application—

(a) is a maternity application; or

(b) is due to be, or has been, determined under paragraph (3).

(3) Planned healthcare applications may be determined—

(a) in relation to England and in relation to relevant persons, by the Secretary of State;

(b) in relation to Wales, by the Welsh Ministers;

(c) in relation to Scotland, by the Scottish Ministers; and

(d) in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.

(4) In this regulation, “ planned healthcare application ” means an application for authorisation to travel to a member state (or another member state) for the purpose of receiving healthcare under a listed healthcare arrangement.

Section 7 Duty to act in accordance with healthcare arrangements

Health service bodies must, when exercising functions and insofar as not already required by regulation 4 or 6, act in accordance with any listed healthcare arrangements.

Section 8 List of healthcare arrangements

(1) The Secretary of State must maintain a list for the purposes of regulations 4 to 7 and 9.

(2) The list must specify in relation to each healthcare arrangement included in the list—

(a) when the healthcare arrangement is to be treated as beginning to have effect; and

(b) when the healthcare arrangement is to be treated as ceasing to have effect.

(3) The Secretary of State may specify different times under paragraph (2)(a) or (b) in relation to different parts of a healthcare arrangement.

(4) The Secretary of State may remove a healthcare arrangement from the list before the time specified in the list as the time when the arrangement is to be treated as beginning to have effect.

(5) The Secretary of State may change a time specified in the list (but not after the time specified).

(6) The Secretary of State must publish the list and keep it up to date.

Section 9 Transitional provision

(1) This paragraph applies where a listed healthcare arrangement makes provision as to rights, obligations or liabilities acquired, accrued or incurred under the arrangement before the arrangement end time.

(2) Where paragraph (1) applies, the relevant public body must after the arrangement end time give effect to the provision referred to in that paragraph.

(3) This paragraph applies where—

(a) paragraph (1) does not apply; and

(b) before the arrangement end time of a listed healthcare arrangement, under the arrangement—

(i) healthcare was provided, or began to be provided,

(ii) authorisation for the provision of healthcare was given, or

(iii) an application for authorisation to travel to a member state (or another member state) for the purpose of receiving healthcare was made and such authorisation was not given or refused.

(4) Where paragraph (3) applies, the relevant public body must after the arrangement end time treat the obligations and commitments of the United Kingdom under the healthcare arrangement as continuing to apply in relation to the matters referred to in paragraph (3)(b)(i) to (iii).

(5) Nothing in paragraph (4) requires—

(a) healthcare to be provided in the United Kingdom after the later of—

(i) the end of the period of one year beginning with the day after the arrangement end time, or

(ii) in a case where authorisation under a listed healthcare arrangement has been given for the provision of healthcare in the United Kingdom within a specified period, the end of the specified period; or

(b) reimbursement to be made to a member state or a person in respect of healthcare provided after the later of—

(i) the end of the period of one year beginning with the day after the arrangement end time, or

(ii) in a case where authorisation under a listed healthcare arrangement has been given to travel to a member state (or another member state) for the purpose of receiving healthcare within a specified period, the end of the specified period.

(6) In this regulation—

“ the arrangement end time ” means, in relation to a listed healthcare arrangement, the time when the arrangement is treated as ceasing to have effect in accordance with regulation 8(2)(b); and

“ the relevant public body ” means—

in relation to the functions of the Authority under regulation 4, the Authority;

in relation to the functions of relevant health boards under regulation 6, relevant health boards;

in relation to the exercise of functions by health service bodies in accordance with listed healthcare arrangements under regulation 7, health service bodies.