Health Foundation, 21 November 2014
- This briefing was prepared to inform the debate on the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill 2014-15.
- The Bill seeks to
- re-establish the Secretary of State’s legal duty to provide national health services in England, replacing the equivalent duty that currently lies with CCGs and NHS England.
- to amend the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 relating to Monitor;
- to repeal the regulations made under section 75 of that Act;
- to make other amendments to the provisions in that Act relating to competition and provision of private health services; and for connected purposes.
- "The Bill would replace the duty on CCGs (or the NHS Commissioning Board where it has a duty to do so) to secure the provision of certain services with a duty for the Secretary of State to do so, albeit with the ability for part or all of this duty to be delegated to CCGs or the NHS Commissioning Board. It would also give the Secretary of State broad direction-making powers over NHS England and CCGs and potentially give limited direction-making powers over NHS foundation trusts (which would be a new power rather than reinstating the position prior to the 2012 Act). It would also give the Secretary of State broad powers to make decisions about procurement, choice and aspects of anti-competitive behaviour."p3
- See the briefing from the NHSCC and the NHS Confederation here.
