Family Health Services Appeal Authority

The FHSAA is an independent Tribunal controlled by the President. The FHSAA is completely independent of the Department of Health, is not a Special Health Authority, and it is not accountable to the Secretary of State for Health. Appeals and applications are made to it directly.

Currently General Practitioners (GP's), dentists, optometrists and some pharmacists need to be on a locally managed performers list before being able to provide NHS services within the area of a Primary Care Trust. The Family Health Services Appeal Authority (FHSAA) hears appeals/applications resulting from decisions made by Primary Care Trusts as part of the local management of such performer's lists.

The President will allocate appeals and applications to panels normally consisting of a legal chairman, a professional member, and a lay member. The panels will hold oral hearings into the matters referred to them unless the Appellant or Applicant says that they do not want one. Panels may give their decisions at the end of the hearing or they may reserve their determination.

Up to the 1st April 2009 the administration of the FHSAA was provided by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA). From the 1st April 2009 the administration of the Tribunal transferred to the Tribunals Service an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice.