- National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973
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National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 
Parliament of the United KingdomLong title An Act to make further provision with respect to the national health service in England and Wales and amendments of the enactments relating to the national health service in Scotland; and for purposes connected with those matters. Statute book chapter 1973 c. 32 Introduced by Lord Aberdare Territorial extent United Kingdom Dates Royal Assent 5 July 1973 Status: Amended Revised text of statute as amended The National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the Act was to reorganise the National Health Service.
The Act also established the posts of Health Service Commissioner for England and Wales. Separate legislation was passed establishing the post in Scotland. The provisions of the Act relating to the Health Service Commissioners have largely been replaced by the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993.
The National Health Service had been excluded from the remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration when the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 became law.
The impetus for the establishment of a Health Ombudsman arose from growing dissatisfaction with the quality of service in the NHS through the 1960s. This was encapsulated by scandals about the care provided to the elderly and mentally ill at Ely Hospital in Cardiff, Farleigh Hospital in Bristol and Whittingham Hospital near Preston. Hospitals were free to determine their own complaints procedures for the investigation of complaints, subject only to guidance by the Ministry of Health. The Davies Report, published in 1973, criticised the complaints system then in place. The Government announced in 1972 that it intended to establish a Health Service Ombudsman and that this was to be at the apex of the NHS complaints system.
Provisions establishing the posts were not extensively discussed in debate in the House of Commons, indicating the consensus of opinion around their establishment.[1]
References
- ^ The Ombudsman, Citizen and Parliament, Gregory and Giddings (London, 2002), p515
External links
- Official text of the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 as amended and in force today within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
- Official text of the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 as originally enacted within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
United Kingdom legislationPre-Parliamentary legislation 
Acts of Parliament by states preceding
the Kingdom of Great BritainActs of the Parliament of England to 1483 · 1485–1601 · 1603–1641 · Interregnum (1642–1660) · 1660–1699 · 1700–1706
Acts of the Parliament of Scotland
Acts of the Parliament of Ireland to 1700 · 1701–1800Acts of Parliament of the
Kingdom of Great Britain1707–1719 · 1720–1739 · 1740–1759 · 1760–1779 · 1780–1800
Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland and the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandChurch of England Measures Legislation of devolved institutions Acts of the Scottish Parliament
Acts and Measures of the Welsh Assembly
Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly / of the Northern Ireland Parliament
Orders in Council for Northern IrelandSecondary legislation Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Sir Edmund Compton · Sir Alan Marre · Sir Idwal Pugh · Sir Cecil Clothier · Sir Anthony Barrowclough · Sir William Reid · Sir Michael Buckley · Ann Abraham
Health Service Commissioner for England Sir Alan Marre · Sir Idwal Pugh · Sir Cecil Clothier · Sir Anthony Barrowclough · Sir William Reid · Sir Michael Buckley · Ann AbrahamHealth Service Commissioner for Scotland (until 2002) Sir Alan Marre · Sir Idwal Pugh · Sir Cecil Clothier · Sir Anthony Barrowclough · Sir William Reid · Sir Michael BuckleyHealth Service Commissioner for Wales (until 2003) Sir Alan Marre · Sir Idwal Pugh · Sir Cecil Clothier · Sir Anthony Barrowclough · Sir William Reid · Sir Michael Buckley · Ann AbrahamLegislation Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 · National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 · Health Service Commissioners Act 1993Categories:- United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1973
- United Kingdom law stubs
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