Care standards remain with health secretary

  Ultimate responsibility for devolved healthcare services will remain with the health secretary, new laws will ensure. The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, which last month gained Royal assent, enables local authorities to take control of services such as health. However, following concerns raised by the BMA and others on the potential for the new law to dilute or remove accountability from the state, amendments were made in Lords. BMA council chair Mark Porter (pictured) said that he welcomed the legislation’s ruling that key responsibilities for standards of care remained with the health secretary. He said: ‘The provisions of this act means that we may see many more examples of English cities and regions entering into agreements that will see the devolution of powers over health and social care. ‘While many such deals are still at an early stage, it is hugely reassuring that the ideals and concepts of our NHS are recognised in the new legislation, and ensure that the national responsibilities of the health secretary remain in place.’   Core duties Clause 18 of the new act states that any devolution deal must not ‘transfer any of the health secretary's core duties in relation to the health service’. It also rules out the transfer of regulatory functions held by national bodies such as the Care Quality Commission and Monitor. The act defines the health secretary’s core duties as those under the National Hea...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news