Strengthening the NHS Constitution
30 January 2013
Disability Rights UK has responded to government proposals for strengthening the NHS constitution.
Background
Proposals to strengthen the NHS Constitution were set out for public consultation, with the NHS, patients and public all being asked to respond. The main changes proposed cover:
- a new responsibility for staff to treat patients not only with the highest standards of care, but also with compassion, dignity and respect
- a new pledge making it explicit that patients can expect to sleep in single-sex wards
- a new pledge to patients that NHS staff must be open and honest with them if things go wrong or mistakes happen - this ‘duty of candour’ will become a condition in the NHS Standard Contract from April 2013.