National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006

17 Plans for improving health etc

(1) Each Local Health Board must, at such times as the Welsh Ministers may direct, prepare a plan which sets out a strategy for improving—

(a) the health of the people for whom it is responsible, and

(b) the provision of health care to such people.

(2) Each Local Health Board must keep under review any plan prepared by it under this section.

(3) Each of the bodies specified in subsection (4) must participate in the preparation or review by a Local Health Board of any plan under this section.

(4) Those bodies are—

(a) any local authority whose area falls wholly or partly within the area of the Local Health Board, and

(b) any NHS trust which provides services at or from a hospital or other establishment or facility which falls within the area of the Local Health Board.

(5) In preparing or reviewing any plan under this section, a Local Health Board—

(a) must consult, or seek the participation of, such persons as the Welsh Ministers may direct, and

(b) may consult, or seek the participation of, such other persons as it considers appropriate.

(6) The Welsh Ministers may give directions as to—

(a) the periods to be covered by plans under this section,

(b) the action to be taken by Local Health Boards, NHS trusts and local authorities in connection with the preparation or review of plans under this section,

(c) the matters to be taken into account in connection with the preparation or review of plans under this section,

(d) the matters to be dealt with by plans under this section,

(e) the form and content of plans under this section,

(f) the publication of plans prepared or reviewed under this section,

(g) the sharing of information between Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, NHS trusts, Local Health Boards and local authorities in connection with the preparation or review of plans under this section or section 24 of the National Health Service Act 2006 (c. 41),

(h) the provision by Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Local Health Boards of reports or other information to the Welsh Ministers in connection with plans under this section or section 24 of the National Health Service Act 2006 (c. 41).

(7) In exercising its functions—

(a) a Local Health Board must have regard to any plan prepared or reviewed by it, and

(b) an NHS trust and a local authority must have regard to any plan in relation to which it has participated.

(8) For the purposes of this section, the persons for whom a Local Health Board is responsible are—

(a) the people in the area of the Local Health Board, and

(b) such of the people outside the area as may be specified in directions given by the Welsh Ministers.

(9) “Health care” means—

(a) services provided to individuals for or in connection with the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness, and

(b) the promotion and protection of public health.