Part 14Patient and public involvement in health and social care

Local arrangements

224Duties of F1responsible persons to respond to F2Local Healthwatch organisations or contractors

(1)

The Secretary of State may by regulations impose, on a F3responsible person, duties—

(a)

as respects responding to requests for information made to the F3responsible person by F4a Local Healthwatch organisation or a Local Healthwatch contractor;

(b)

as respects dealing with reports or recommendations made to the F3responsible person by F4a Local Healthwatch organisation or a Local Healthwatch contractor; or

(c)

as respects dealing with reports or recommendations which, in accordance with any requirement imposed in regulations under paragraph (b), have been referred to the F3responsible person by another F3responsible person.

(2)

In subsection (1) “F3responsible person” means—

F5(za)

F6NHS England;

F7(zb)

an integrated care board;

(a)

a National Health Service trust;

(b)

an NHS foundation trust;

F8(c)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)

a local authority; or

(e)

a person prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

F9(3)

For the purposes of subsection (1), something is done by a Local Healthwatch organisation if it is done by that organisation—

(a)

in the carrying-on, under arrangements made under section 221(1), of activities specified in section 221(2), or

(b)

in compliance with a requirement imposed by virtue of section 223(2)(i).

(3A)

For the purposes of subsection (1), something is done by a Local Healthwatch contractor if it is done by that contractor in the carrying-on, under Local Healthwatch arrangements, of activities specified in section 221(2).

(4)

Before making regulations under this section, the Secretary of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

F10(5)

In this section—

“Local Healthwatch arrangements” has the meaning given by section 222;

“Local Healthwatch contractor” has the meaning given by section 223.