Commentary on Sections Schedule 1
68.Schedule 1 amends Schedule 5A to the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 in order to provide for the appointment of persons to carry out the functions of the medical reviewers and senior medical reviewer. Other members or employees of Healthcare Improvement Scotland are expressly prevented from exercising those functions, with the exception of the function of verifying foreign certificates under section 17; it is envisaged that this function will be performed by medical reviewers’ assistants.
69.The minimum qualification required for medical reviewers or the senior medical reviewer is to have been a medical practitioner for 5 years prior to appointment. The Scottish Ministers have the power to prescribe in regulations additional requirements for qualifications, training or experience.
70.The functions of the medical reviewer and senior medical reviewer may not be delegated, with the exception of the function of medical reviewers of verifying foreign certificates under section 17, which can be exercised by another employee of Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
71.In addition, the senior medical reviewer is entitled, with the agreement of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, to arrange for one of the medical reviewers to carry out his or her functions if he or she is absent or unavailable. This would enable a deputy to cover for the senior medical reviewer during times of illness or annual leave, for example.