NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald and NHS Hastings and Rother have welcomed the first ever NHS Constitution which was signed last week at a historic ceremony at Downing Street.
Lisa Compton, director of Patient and Public Engagement and Corporate Affairs said:
“The NHS Constitution for England – the first of its kind in the world – will give power to patients and the public by bringing their existing rights together in one place so they know what they are legally entitled to – and how they can exercise their rights as well as understanding their responsibilities.
It also contains a range of pledges to patients and staff, which the NHS is committed to achieving.
The Constitution is designed to safeguard the values of the NHS for the future, making sure that the NHS continues to be relevant to the needs of patients, the public and staff in the 21st century - it will ensure that the NHS is protected for generations to come.
It will strengthen people’s rights by clearly setting out in one place their entitlement as a patient.”
The new constitution includes:
• the right to NICE-recommended drugs and your local NHS will have to explain their reasons if you are refused other drugs and treatments that you and your doctor think would help you.
• a new legal right to receive recommended vaccinations.
• the right to access your own health care records
• the right to make choices about your care and to information to help you make those choices.
At the same time, it is important that patients recognise they have responsibilities too.
So the Constitution sets out expectations of how people can contribute to the effective working of the NHS, such as ensuring they register with a GP and turn up for appointments.
Staff
For NHS staff, the Constitution will mean an NHS-wide commitment to equipping them with the tools they need to deliver high quality care for patients.
It is about recognising that NHS staff are the organisation’s most important resource – so the Constitution sets out a commitment to provide all staff with quality jobs and with the training and support they need to do their jobs as well as they can.
It also reaffirms the enduring values of the NHS which staff have said really resonate with them.
They are what inspired them to work for the NHS in the first place and they guide them in their jobs day in day out.
Values such as compassion, treating people with dignity and respect and getting the basics right.
Consultation
The Constitution has been drawn up following discussions and consultation with thousands of NHS staff, patients and stakeholders across the country.
In addition to the NHS-led consultation process, over 1000 people responded directly to the Department.
The Law
As set out in the Health Bill published last week, the Government of the day will be obliged by law to renew the Constitution every ten years just as the BBC renews its Charter.
This will ensure that any changes to the Constitution are the result of consultation and cannot be made by stealth.
There is also a new legal duty on all providers of NHS services to take account of the Constitution in the decisions that they make.
The Constitution strikes the right balance between the need for clarity and the need to avoid undue litigation, between the need to state what is enduring, whilst ensuring the NHS has the flexibility to change.
