Health Act 1999

71 In section 1 of the Hospital Complaints Procedure Act 1985 (complaints procedures for hospitals managed by health authorities and NHS trusts)—

(a) in subsection (1), the words from “under” to “functions)” and “for the management of” are omitted and for “are responsible” there is substituted “manage”,

(b) in subsection (1A), for “is responsible for the management of” there is substituted “manages”, “for the management of” is omitted and for “is responsible” there is substituted “manages”,

(c) after subsection (1A) there is inserted—

“(1B) It shall also be the duty of the Secretary of State to give to each Primary Care Trust which manages a hospital such directions as appear necessary for the purpose of securing that, as respects each hospital which that Primary Care Trust manages—

(a) such arrangements are made for dealing with complaints made by or on behalf of persons who are or have been patients at that hospital; and

(b) such steps are taken for publicising the arrangements so made,

as (in each case) are specified or described in the directions.

(1C) In this section, “directions” means—

(a) in relation to England and Wales, directions under section 17 of the [1977 c. 49.] National Health Service Act 1977,

(b) in relation to Scotland, directions under section 2(5) of the [1978 c. 29.] National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.”