Part 2

Health service bodies
CHAPTER A1

NHS England
General duties of
NHS England

Duty as to improvement in quality of services
13E
1
NHS England
must exercise its functions with a view to securing continuous improvement in the quality of services provided to individuals for or in connection with—
a
the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness, or
b
the protection or improvement of public health.
2
In discharging its duty under subsection (1),
NHS England
must, in particular, act with a view to securing continuous improvement in the outcomes that are achieved from the provision of the services.
3
The outcomes relevant for the purposes of subsection (2) include, in particular, outcomes which show—
a
the effectiveness of the services,
b
the safety of the services, and
c
the quality of the experience undergone by patients.
4
In discharging its duty under subsection (1),
NHS England
must have regard to—
a
any document published by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section, and
b
the quality standards prepared by NICE under section 234 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Pt. 2 Ch. A1 inserted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes, 1.10.2012 for specified purposes, 1.2.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 23(1), 306(1)(d)(4); S.I. 2012/1831, art. 2(2) (with art. 4); S.I. 2012/2657, art. 2(4); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)
Words in Act substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), s. 186(6), Sch. 1 para. 1(1)(2); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)