Section 154: Suspension, National Health Service Act 2006

If NHS England is satisfied that it is necessary to do so for the protection of members of the public or is otherwise in the public interest, it may suspend a practitioner from its list—

while it decides whether or not to exercise its powers under section 151 or 152 (other than in circumstances falling within paragraph (b)), or

while it waits for a decision affecting the practitioner of a court or of a body which regulates—

the practitioner's profession,

the profession of a person providing any of the services mentioned in section 151(1) on the practitioner's behalf, or

if the practitioner is a body corporate, the profession of one of its directors, or one of the body of persons controlling it or (if it is a limited liability partnership) one of its members,

or one of that regulatory body's committees.

The references in subsection (1)(b) to a court or regulatory body are to a court or such a body anywhere in the world.

In a case falling within subsection (1)(a), NHS England must specify the length of the period of suspension.

In a case falling within subsection (1)(b), NHS England may specify that the practitioner remains suspended after the decision referred to there for an additional period which NHS England must specify.

In either case—

before that period expires it may extend, or further extend, the suspension for a further specified period, or

if that period has expired, it may impose a further suspension, for a period which it must specify.

The period of suspension (in a subsection (1)(a) case) or the additional period (in a subsection (1)(b) case), including in both cases the period of any further suspension imposed under subsection (5)(b), may not exceed six months in aggregate, except—

in prescribed circumstances, when it may not extend beyond any prescribed event (which may be the expiry of a prescribed period),

if, on the application of NHS England, the First-tier Tribunal orders accordingly before the expiry of the period of suspension, or

if NHS England has applied under paragraph (b) before the expiry of the period of suspension, but the First-tier Tribunal has not made an order by the time it expires, in which case it continues until the First-tier Tribunal has made an order.

If the First-tier Tribunal does so order, it must specify—

the date on which the period of suspension will end, or

an event beyond which it will not continue.

The First-tier Tribunal may, on the application of NHS England, make a further order (complying with subsection (7)) at any time while the period of suspension pursuant to the earlier order is still continuing.

The Secretary of State may make regulations providing for payments to practitioners who are suspended.

Those regulations may include provision for the amount of the payments, or the method of calculating the amount, to be determined by the Secretary of State or by another person appointed for the purpose by the Secretary of State.

Section 154: Suspension

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