Latest Consultation

On 10 November 2009 the Secretary of State launched a consultation 'The NHS Constitution: A consultation on new patient rights'. This closed on 5 February 2010.

As a result of this consultation, from the 1 April 2010 patients will have the legal right to:

 - treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from GP referral;
 - be seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks from GP referral, or 
  where this is not possible, for the NHS to take reasonable steps to offer
  a range of alternative providers; and
 - an NHS health check for those aged 40 to 74 to assess their risk of 
  heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. 

A revised NHS Constitution has been published by the Department of Health which includes the new rights for patients. This can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

The Government published their response to the consultation on the 8 March 2010. To read this please download it at the bottom of this page.

Related downloads

| NHS Constitution published 2010.pdf (0.11 MB)

| Handbook to the NHS Constitution published 2010.pdf (1.17 MB)

| Government response to consultation on new patient rights 2010.pdf (0.29 MB)