Health and Care Act 2022

111 Deciding which incidents to investigate

(1) The HSSIB’s function under section 110 includes determining which qualifying incidents it will investigate, subject to subsection (2).

(2) The Secretary of State may direct the HSSIB to carry out an investigation of—

(a) a particular qualifying incident that has occurred, or

(b) qualifying incidents that have occurred and are of a particular description.

(3) A direction under subsection (2) may specify the date by which the HSSIB must publish its final report (see section 113).

(4) A direction under subsection (2)—

(a) must be in writing;

(b) may be varied or revoked by subsequent directions;

(c) may provide for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter.

(5) Once the HSSIB has begun an investigation into a qualifying incident, it must, in such manner as it thinks appropriate, publish a statement which—

(a) reports that it has begun the investigation,

(b) contains a brief description of the incident, and

(c) sets out, in general terms, the issues that the HSSIB expects to consider in the investigation.

(6) The HSSIB may give advance notice of a statement under subsection (5) to any person the HSSIB considers may be affected by the investigation.

(7) Where the HSSIB discontinues an investigation, it must, in such manner as it thinks appropriate, publish a statement which—

(a) reports that it has discontinued the investigation, and

(b) gives its reasons for doing so.

(8) Where the HSSIB determines not to investigate a qualifying incident, it may give notice of its determination to any person the HSSIB considers to have an interest in the determination.

(9) Notice under subsection (8) may include—

(a) a brief description of the incident, and

(b) the HSSIB’s reasons for not investigating it.