Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14)

Part 1 U.K. The Care Quality Commission

Chapter 3 E+W Quality of health and social care

Health care standards E+W

Valid from 01/04/2010

45 Standards set by Secretary of State E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may prepare and publish statements of standards in relation to the provision of NHS care.

(2) The Secretary of State must keep the standards under review and may publish amended statements whenever the Secretary of State considers it appropriate.

(3) The Secretary of State may direct a person—

(a) to prepare a draft statement of standards for the purposes of subsection (1), submit it to the Secretary of State for approval and publish it in the form approved or modified by the Secretary of State;

(b) to keep standards under review for the purposes of subsection (2) and, whenever the person considers it appropriate, submit a draft amended statement to the Secretary of State for approval and publish it in the form approved or modified by the Secretary of State.

(4) The Secretary of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate—

(a) before publishing a statement under subsection (1) or approving a statement under subsection (3)(a);

(b) before publishing under subsection (2), or approving under subsection (3)(b), any amended statement which in the opinion of the Secretary of State effects a substantial change in the standards.