Health Service Commissioners Act 1993

14 Reports by Commissioners

(1) A Commissioner shall send a report of the results of an investigation by him—

(a) to the person who made the complaint,

(b) to any member of the House of Commons who to the Commissioner’s knowledge assisted in the making of the complaint (or if he is no longer a member to such other member as the Commissioner thinks appropriate),

(c) to the health service body concerned,

(d) to any person who is alleged in the complaint to have taken or authorised the action complained of,

(e) if the body concerned is not a District Health Authority for a district in England, to the Secretary of State, and

(f) if that body is a District Health Authority for a district in England, to the Regional Health Authority whose region includes that district.

(2) In any case where a Commissioner decides not to conduct an investigation he shall send a statement of his reasons—

(a) to the person who made the complaint,

(b) to any such member of the House of Commons as is mentioned in subsection (1)(b), and

(c) to the health service body concerned.

(3) If after conducting an investigation it appears to a Commissioner that—

(a) the person aggrieved has sustained such injustice or hardship as is mentioned in section 3(1), and

(b) the injustice or hardship has not been and will not be remedied,

he may if he thinks fit make a special report to the Secretary of State who shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable, lay a copy of the report before each House of Parliament.

(4) Each of the Commissioners—

(a) shall annually make to the Secretary of State a report on the performance of his functions under this Act, and

(b) may from time to time make to the Secretary of State such other reports with respect to those functions as the Commissioner thinks fit;

and the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of every such report before each House of Parliament.

(5) For the purposes of the law of defamation, the publication of any matter by a Commissioner in sending or making a report or statement in pursuance of this section shall be absolutely privileged.