(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations revise guiding principles in the NHS Constitution, which was established in law by section 1 of the Health Act 2009. Section 4 of that Act provides that revisions may not be made to the guiding principles unless made by regulations. These Regulations substitute two of the guiding principles in the NHS Constitution. They also revoke a previous revision made to the first guiding principle by regulation 3 of the National Health Service (Revision of NHS Constitution—Principles) Regulations 2013.
The NHS Constitution applies only in relation to the health service in England (which is provided for mainly by the National Health Service Act 2006, as amended). The first version of the NHS Constitution was that published by the Department of Health on 21st January 2009. Revised versions were published in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It is the 2013 version which was in force when these Regulations were made. A revised version of the NHS Constitution will be published after these regulations come into force and will be available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england; and in hard copy from: NHS Constitution Team, Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2NS.
A full Impact Assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private sector or civil society organisations is foreseen.