PART 1

The health service in England

The health service: overview

The Secretary of State’s duty as to improvement in quality of services
2
After section 1 of the National Health Service Act 2006 insert—

Duty as to improvement in quality of services
1A
1
The Secretary of State must exercise the functions of the Secretary of State in relation to the health service 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 the duty under subsection (1) the Secretary of State 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 the duty under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must have regard to the quality standards prepared by NICE under section 234 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.