NHS Constitution

The NHS Constitution came into force in January 2010 (updated in March 2012) of which there is a legal requirement for all NHS organisations to comply.

Aim

The aim of the Constitution is to protect and renew the principles of the NHS. IT empowers staff and the public by setting out legal rights and pledges for the first time in one place. The Constitution sets out clear expectations about behaviours and values of all organisations providing NHS care.

The Constitution

The Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled and the pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the patients, public and staff owe to one another.

Rights are effectively legal rights. Pledges relate to things that the NHS is committed to achieve and go above and beyond legal rights.

The Trust has completed a self-assessment against the NHS Constitution. This includes setting out the rights, pledges and sources of evidence. Additionally a detailed action plan has been included against those areas where it is identified that further evidence and assurance is required or further action is required to meet the expectation to achieve each right and pledge.