Private providers and human rights

You report that a question mark remains over whether private providers in the NHS are subject to the Human Rights Act. Any attempts to narrow the scope of the act need to be robustly challenged, because this would leave people vulnerable to abuse, writes Jean Candler 

The government has recently confirmed its view that independent providers are delivering public functions and are therefore subject to the act. This is welcomed by the British Institute of Human Rights as the law provides a vital safety net for patients and ill people, often coping under stressful situations.

However, the spirit that lies behind human rights is not just about the scope of the law, rather it demands a culture within which people should be treated with respect, dignity and fairness, and this should apply across all services, whether run privately or by the state.

Jean Candler, head of policy and public affairs, British Institute of Human Rights