Key Facts

• The amendment seeks to add non-executive members representing different stakeholders on the NHS England Board.
• Appointments should consider at least five persons for each role with reasons published.
• No individual with a conflict of interest can be considered for appointment.
• The amendment seeks to define the composition of the NHS England board.
• It proposes that at least one non-executive director is appointed through an independent process rather than by the Secretary of State alone.
• Concerns are raised about recent questionable behaviour around appointments and a perception of cronyism.
• The Bill seeks to update governance arrangements for NHS England post-covid recovery.
• Clause 1 changes the legal name of NHS Commissioning Board to NHS England.
• Schedule 1 contains consequential amendments in another Act.
• Amendment 37 seeks to replace 'it' with 'the Secretary of State'.
• New clause 20 restores section 1 of the NHS Act 2006.
• New clause 21 outlines extensive duties for the Secretary of State to provide various health services.
• The amendments aim to address changes made in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
• New clause 20 seeks to ensure the Secretary of State continues to promote a comprehensive health service in England.
• Section 1(3) of the National Health Service Act 2006 has been amended previously due to similar debates.
• The Government is considering binning the Lansley Act.
• There is a concern about the Secretary of State having too much power over healthcare in constituencies.
• An amendment is proposed to clarify duties and responsibilities.
• The amendments aim to redefine the boundaries of what the NHS does.
• Specialised services are commissioned for patients with rare cancers, genetic disorders, and complex medical conditions.
• Clause 2 ensures that the Secretary of State can require NHS England to commission specialised services through joint or delegated working arrangements or by directing integrated care boards.
• Amendment 20 would add subsection (6) to clause 3.
• The proposed subsection would require the Secretary of State to provide a funding statement with any mandate presented to Parliament.
• The NHS still has to request funding annually from the Treasury.
• The NHS had an effective deficit of £5 billion in the year before the pandemic.
• Widely published evidence suggests that inadequate funding led to a decline in performance indicators and the NHS's position in international rankings.
• Impact assessments are rarely provided with statutory instruments on covid measures.
• Amendment 19 aims to require urgent changes to be explained with written statements and impact assessments.
• The amendment highlights the need for clarity on how funding is allocated between the NHS and social care.
• Richard Murray from the King’s Fund suggests setting clearer medium-term objectives for the NHS and multi-year settlements.
• Clause 3 aims to increase the effectiveness of the statutory mandate as a long-term strategic tool.
• Amendment 19 would potentially prevent democratic adjustment of the mandate except in response to urgent or unforeseen circumstances.
• The government published an impact assessment for line-by-line consideration of the Bill.
• NHS England’s capital and revenue resource allocations will continue to be set annually and given statutory effect by annual financial directions.
• Amendments 21-26 aim to modify NHS England's functions and integrated care boards to prioritise health inequalities.
• New clause 13 requires the Secretary of State to publish a report setting targets for population health improvement and reduction of health inequalities every five years, with annual progress reports.
• Half of all health inequalities are driven by smoking.
• Life expectancy increase has stalled for the first time in a century due to austerity measures.
• There is an 18-year gap in healthy life expectancy between the best-off and worst-off communities.
• People from Gypsy or Irish Traveller, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani communities have the poorest health outcomes.
• The UK loses approximately 1,400 children a year before age 15 due to poverty and deprivation.
• Health inequalities have been an issue since the Black report in the early 1980s.
• The pandemic highlighted disparities in vaccine uptake and health service engagement among different communities.
• The 2006 Act provides existing duties on the Secretary of State around improving public health and reducing health inequalities.
• NHS bodies have statutory duties to consider reducing health inequalities in their functions.
• An Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will launch at the beginning of October within the Department.
• A cross-Government ministerial group is being created with a remit to identify and tackle wider determinants of poor health.
• The Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 is referenced.
• Five-year timeframe proposed in new clause 13 is seen as too rigid by Murray.
• Amendment 21 aims to elevate population health over system interests.