Consultation responses

Healthwatch England will be a national consumer champion that enables the collective views of the people who use health and social care services to influence national policy, advice and guidance. The RCN has responded to the development of the Healthwatch England membership regulations.

The RCN has responded to the Monitor led consultation on the potential requirement to issue licences to all providers of NHS funded services if the Health and Social Care Bill becomes law. This provider licence would be the key regulatory tool with which they would fulfil their new main general duty to protect and promote the interests of patients and service users.

The RCN has responded to this consultation concerning issues relevant to the implementation and operation of the appeals reform provisions in the Welfare Reform Bill draft regulations.

The RCN has responded to the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC) launched consultation on the Green Paper setting out how lung cancer multi-disciplinary teams could be strengthened to improve the quality of care for patients – in essence, to become a ‘dream MDT’.

The RCN has commented on the Compliance Framework which is at the core of Monitor’s regulatory framework. Monitor updates it each year to reflect developments in health, such as new national targets and indicators and new types of NHS foundation trusts offering different services, such as ambulance and community NHS foundation trusts.

The RCN have responded to the NMC launched consultation on Phase Two of the review of the Midwives rules and standards project, which focused on the standards and guidance that support the rules, to make sure they are as effective and up-to-date as possible so that women, babies and their families get high quality, safe care.

Support for health and wellbeing boards and their partners in developing joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) and health and wellbeing strategies has been published in the form of draft statutory guidance. The RCN has responded to views sought on the draft guidance.

The Information Promise sets out the standards that members of the public, bodies in the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction and others can expect from the Ombudsman’s Office when handling, storing, protecting and sharing information. The RCN has responded to the consultation on the framework that sets out the approach that will be taken to deliver the Information Promise.

Good Medical Practice sets out the standards, principles and values expected of all doctors registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). It also plays a vital role in keeping patients safe and improving professional standards; this consultation response is part of ongoing work and contributions to ensure it remains up-to-date and relevant to doctors in their day to day practice.

The RCN has responded to the Department of Health consultation on implementing a ‘Duty of Candour’; a contractual requirement on NHS providers to be open with patients when things go wrong with their healthcare. This forms part of the Government’s plans to modernise the NHS by making it more accountable and transparent.