Health Bill amendments: NHS a vital step closer to 'No decision about me without me'

The Health Foundation strongly welcomes today’s announcement that the Government will be amending the Health and Social Care Bill to clarify the meaning of commissioners’ duty to promote involvement of each patient.

Jo Bibby, the Health Foundation’s Director of Improvement Programmes, said:

'The Government’s amendments bring us a vital step closer to realising "No decision about me without me".

'Too often people are consenting to treatment without fully understanding the risks and benefits. But involving patients in their care improves the quality of care and can lead to better, more efficient use of limited NHS resources.

'The amended Health Bill will place a clear duty upon the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups to promote the involvement of patients in their care.'

The Health Foundation, alongside charity coalition National Voices, has been heavily involved in making the case for this change in the Bill on how people should be involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

Read the Government’s amendment paper on the Department of Health’s website.