This document provides summaries of responses from various helpdesks managed by PCC to frequently asked questions. The helpdesks address topics such as contract variations, business rates reimbursement, pharmacy ownership transfers, and adding additional premises to eye care contracts. Responses provide clarification on related policies and requirements from NHS England. Annual contract holders with PCC have unlimited access to these helpdesks for quality assured answers within three working days.

1. © 2020 PCC
Quality assured helpdesk
Annual contract holders have unlimited access to our
helpdesk where we provide quality assured answers
within three working days, often quicker.
Our team of in-house experts manage our helpdesks.
This Slideshare provides details of frequently asked
questions we have received and answers we have
provided.

2. © 2020 PCC
Medical services helpdesk
Question: Can typed signatories be accepted on national
contract variations or do electronic signatures need to be
scanned?
Our response: If you‘re accepting electronic signatures on
contract variations they need to be actual signatures not typed.
You would be advised to ensure electronic signatures come
from a recognised source, e.g. practice email, and that the
person whose electronic signature is used has authorised its
use. NHS England do not formally recognise electronically
provided signature and prefer wet signatures.

3. © 2020 PCC
Premises helpdesk
Question: We are receiving queries from practices regarding
an additional element to the business rates invoice, BID levy.
This does not apply to all councils, but where it does, the
practice does not have an-opt out option. Can you confirm if
CCGs are required to reimburse this element of the bill?
Our response : This link https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2017/04/faqs-gms-agreement-financial-
uplift.pdf covers some FAQs for the financial uplift of 2017/18
GMS contract. Section 6 specifically states that NHS England
will reimburse BID levies.

4. © 2020 PCC
Dental services helpdesk
Question - 24 hour retirement of a contractor who is a limited company with only one
director, they want to take on another director to cover the 24 hours. Do I need to issue
a variation notice?
Our response - The legal entity that you are in contract with is the limited company
and the names of directors are not included in the model contract documentation, so
director changes don’t need a variation notice. However, you still have to be satisfied
that the make-up of directors is allowed to hold a GDS contract (50/50 with lay people)
and that the new director is suitable to hold a GDS contract (Regulation 4). If both parts
are satisfied then you need to acknowledge their suitability, and the change in
directorship, a signed variation isn’t required. If this is the case it will enable a 24 hour
retirement. It is likely the director taking 24 hour retirement will then come back and the
director covering the retirement period will be removed, this is all done via Companies
House. The contractor should notify you that the directors are changing and you will
need to undertake the same checks.
If you have modified the model document in anyway to include the names of the
directors of the company then in those circumstances you would need to do a formal
variation as they are named within the contract documentation itself.

5. © 2020 PCC
Eye care services helpdesk
Question: Ophthalmic contractor holds a mandatory services GOS contract and has
purchased additional premises. Is the contractor required to submit a new contract
application or can the additional premises be varied into their existing contract?
Our response: If the contractor holds a GOS mandatory services contract within that
NHSE/I regional office geographical boundary and if the additional premises fall within
same regional office boundary, then the commissioner needs to carry out a practice
assurance visit to ensure the premises, staffing arrangements, record keeping facilities
are suitable for the provision of services under the contract, if suitable then a contract
variation would need to be issued to vary clause 24 and clause 29 of the contract.
If the additional premises do not fall within that regional office’s boundary then the
contractor would be required to contact the regional office whose boundary the
premises fall within. If they do not already hold a mandatory GOS contract with that
regional office they will be required to submit a new full contract application.
No payment should be made to that contractor for the provision of GOS services from
the additional premises until the premises are included under a GOS mandatory
services contract.

6. © 2020 PCC
Pharmaceutical services helpdesk
Question: The sale of a pharmacy has fallen through after the
notice of commencement had been submitted and actioned.
The applicant wants the pharmacy to be put back into the
seller’s name.
Our response: Once a valid notice of commencement has
been received and the relevant pharmaceutical list has been
amended the only way the change can be undone is via the
successful submission of a change of ownership application by
the original owner and the subsequent submission of a valid
notice of commencement.

7. © 2020 PCC
Find out more
If you would like more information about access to our quality
assured helpdesk or annual contracts please contact
enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk