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Darzi outlines draft NHS constitution

Lord Darzi today set out the seven principles that underlie the NHS - along with the rights and responsibilities that accompany them.

The draft NHS constitution, published this afternoon, says the NHS should be comprehensive, based on clinical need, highly professional and offer services that reflect the needs of patients, their families and carers.

It should work across boundaries to meet the needs of the population.

The NHS should ensure the best use of taxpayers' money and the most effective and fair use of finite resources. It is accountable to the public, communities and patients.

"Staff rights include fair pay, flexible working, freedom from bullying and discrimination, and the right to representation"


The eight-page draft constitution also sets out a series of rights and pledges to patients and the public. These are built around access, quality of care, the right to treatment approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, respect, consent and confidentiality, choice, involvement and making a complaint.

In return, patients should respect a series of responsibilities that include keeping appointments and taking responsibility for their own health.

Staff also get some rights and pledges. These include fair pay, flexible working, freedom from bullying and discrimination, and the right to representation.

In return, staff are expected to act professionally, protect confidential information and help develop a learning environment.

For more breaking news on the Darzi review as it emerges, visit the news section on hsj.co.uk. For full coverage, read this week's HSJ and NHS 60 supplement.


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Reader Response

Added: Tuesday, 1 July 2008 22:07 BST
Emmerson Walgrove, Bradford, United Kingdom

Well, the consultation on NHS Constitution document is very interesting read, until you get page page 28 where it says “6.7 The Government has introduced a comprehensive framework of policies to strengthen the accountability of the NHS. This has included: -introducing Local Improvement (!!!) Networks (LINks) to gather the views of local people and their communities”

The Government does not even know the correct title of the statutory model of Patient and Public Involvement which it legislated for and came in to being on the 1st April 2008 which are the Local Involvement Networks (LINks).


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Added: Monday, 30 June 2008 22:22 BST
Anonymous, Glasgow, United Kingdom

There is nothing new under the sun! This is just a jaded rehash of old policies and ancient promises. Remember the patient's charter? The NHS workers have always had the same paper rights and freedoms as the rest of the UK, but the practical application of those rights does not and will not exist in reality. This is making a lot of noise over nothing. If the Government was serious about letting everybody have every new treatment approved by NICE, why does it cash limit drugs budgets and squeeze them down year on year? What a hypocritical farce. All sound and fury without any substance at all.


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