national health service

Professional Standards Authority

Website of the Professional Standards Authority, an independent body set up under the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 to improve the regulation and registration of people working in health and care and develop standards for regulators and accredited registers to meet. The site provides information and links to all the UK health regulators as well as accredited registers that register health and social care practitioners who are not regulated by law such as the Association of Child Psychotherapists or the British Acupuncture Council.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) regulates and manages healthcare services within Scotland. Its website details the role of the service and provides information regarding research conducted by HIS into the biggest health problems in Scotland. Further information on improvement and regulation is included and there is a documents section with annual reports, corporate documents and policies.

The Kerr/Haslam Inquiry Report

The report of the Kerr/Haslam Inquiry, which was concerned with how NHS services in Yorkshire dealt with concerns raised about two consultant psychiatrists, Dr William Kerr and Mr Michael Haslam, who were involved in the sexual abuse of psychiatric patients. The Inquiry’s report was published in July 2005 and is available here on the Gov.UK website, the website for the UK government.

NHS Litigation Authority

The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) deals with clinical negligence and other claims against the NHS. Its website describes its work and provides guidance for patients, clinicians, volunteers and social enterprises. Publications available on the site include brief details of relevant human rights cases, guidance regarding claims, factsheets and legal updates.

British Medical Association

The British Medical Association (BMA) is the doctors’ professional organisation, representing doctors across all branches of medicine in the UK. The ‘Equality and Diversity’ section introduces the Equality Act 2010 and contains a short guide to the changes introduced by the Act. The ‘Medical Ethics’ section provides a range of guidance for doctors including ‘toolkits’, available in PDF, offering ethical guidance to doctors in areas such as child protection and the Mental Capacity Act. This section also contains a range of BMA publications, also in PDF format.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of all health and adult social care services in England. Its website provides information about what people can expect from health and social care providers, as well as results of reports and inspections. These can be searched by name, location or postcode, and are available to download in PDF format. The site also provides additional links to relevant health and social care organisations and information services.

Department of Health

The UK Department of Health website contains the latest health news, links to local National Health Service (NHS) information, online advice about health (NHS Direct Online), and links to other websites. There are sections containing publications and statistics, health policy, procurement, and consultations.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

The Parliamentary Ombudsman investigates complaints about the action or inaction of British government departments. They also handle some issues brought by members of the public. Additionally the department performs the role of Health Service Ombudsman, investigating complaints from the public about failures in NHS care and treatment. The website offers a summary of its duties and information for the general public on when to use the ombudsman service and how to make a complaint. An additional feature is the full-text annual reports, investigation reports and consultation documents.

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales

Website of the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) the independent inspectorate and regulator of healthcare in Wales. The HIW is part of the Welsh Assembly Government and has responsibility for reviewing and inspecting NHS and independent healthcare organisations. The site has HIW publications including reviews, inspection reports and corporate documents which can be downloaded in full text along with links to related legislation.

Primary Health Lists Tribunal

The Primary Health Lists Tribunal has superseded the former Family Health Services Appeal Authority. It hears appeals by general medical practitioners, dentists, chemists and opticians against decisions taken by Primary Care Trusts relating to their lists of "medical performers". Its pages on the HM Courts and Tribuanl Service website give an overview of its role and provide rules and legislation, details of forthcoming cases and a link to decisions back to 2004.

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