National Health Service Act 1977

3 Services generally. E+W+S

(1) It is the Secretary of State’s duty to provide throughout England and Wales, to such extent as he considers necessary to meet all reasonable requirements—

(a) hospital accommodation;

(b) other accommodation for the purpose of any service provided under this Act;

(c) medical, dental, nursing and ambulance services;

(d) such other facilities for the care of expectant and nursing mothers and young children as he considers are appropriate as part of the health service;

(e) such facilities for the prevention of illness, the care of persons suffering from illness and the after-care of persons who have suffered from illness as he considers are appropriate as part of the health service;

(f) such other services as are required for the diagnosis and treatment of illness.

[F1 (1A) The Secretary of State may provide or secure the provision of anything mentioned in subsection (1) above outside England and Wales.]

(2) Where any hospital provided by the Secretary of State in accordance with this Act was a voluntary hospital transferred by virtue of the M1 National Health Service Act 1946, and—

(a) the character and associations of that hospital before its transfer were such as to link it with a particular religious denomination, then

(b) regard shall be had in the general administration of the hospital to the preservation of that character and those associations.

(3) Nothing in section 2 above or in this section affects the provisions of Part II of this Act (which relates to arrangements with practitioners for the provision of medical, dental, ophthalmic and pharmaceutical services).

[F2 (4) For the purposes of the duty in subsection (1), services provided under—

(a) section 16CA(2) or 16CC(2) below, or

(b) a general medical services contract or a general dental services contract,

are to be regarded as provided by the Secretary of State.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 3(1A) inserted (29.11.2002) by The National Health Service Act 1977 and National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2759), reg. 3(1)

F2 S. 3(4) inserted (28.2.2004 for W.) by Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c. 43), s. 199(1)(4), Sch. 11 para. 8; S.I. 2004/480, art. 2(1)(f) (with arts. 6, 7) (as amended by S.I. 2004/1019 and S.I. 2006/345)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 3(1)(a)-(f): functions of local authority not to be responsibility of an executive of the authority (1.4.2000) by virtue of S.I. 2000/695, reg. 3(2)(a), Sch. 1

C2 S. 3(1)(a)-(f): transfer of functions (E.) (1.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/747, regs. 2(1), 3, 4, Sch. 1

Marginal Citations

M1 1946 c. 81.