The Scottish Government

Independent Healthcare Service

What the definition can cover

Healthcare services provided by private and voluntary(including charity) organisations. Definition does not include healthcare services provided by the NHS.

Examples

• Independent hospital: Independent hospitals; Hospices.
• Private psychiatric hospital: Private psychiatric hospitals (can admit patients detained under Mental Health legislation).
• Independent clinic: Clinics in or from which services are provided privately by doctors or dentists or by others e.g. nurses under supervision.
• Independent medical agency: A business which wholly or partly consists of the provision of services privately by a doctor.

Commencement status

Independent hospital: Commenced in full 1 April 2002.

Private psychiatric hospital: Commenced in full 1 April 2002.

Independent clinic: Not commenced (apart from those already registered under previous legislation on 1 April 2002). No provisional date for full commencement.

Independent medical agency: Not commenced. No provisional date for commencement.

Relevant Regulations

Relevant regulations

Fitness of Providers, Managers and Employees of Care Services

The Regulation of Care (Fitness to Register, Provide and Manage Care Services) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2009 Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) number 130)

The Regulation of Care (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) number 32)

Minimum Frequency of Inspection

The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (minimum Frequency of Inspections) Order 2009 (Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) number 131)