The Health and Care Act 2022 (Commencement No. 6 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2023

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force section 162 of the Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31) (“the 2022 Act”) on 18th August 2023 (regulation 2). They are the sixth commencement regulations to be made under the Act. These Regulations also make saving provision in connection with the coming into force of section 162.

Section 162 provides that the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019 (“the 2019 Act”) is renamed the Healthcare (International Arrangements) Act 2019, and makes certain amendments to that Act to enable the Government and the Devolved Authorities to implement reciprocal healthcare agreements with countries outside the EEA and Switzerland.

Regulation 3 saves the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1293) insofar as they relate to the determination of applications for planned healthcare made in relation to Northern Ireland. Those Regulations were made under provisions of the 2019 Act substituted by section 162 of the 2022 Act.

A full impact assessment has been prepared in relation to the 2022 Act, and a copy is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-care-bill-combined-impact-assessments. A hard copy can be obtained by writing to the Department of Health and Social Care, 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0EU.