DHSC has published its consultation on the NHS Constitution and it’s important for people to respond.
The NHS Constitution, last updated in 2015, has to be updated at least every 10 years by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The consultation will run for 8 weeks. This is a DHSC consultation. As the NHS Constitution is for patients, public and staff, we are providing signposting so our colleagues, stakeholders and partners can respond via the formal DHSC consultation process.
As part of these changes the government are proposing to add a new NHS value of ‘Environmental responsibilities’ which includes achieving legislative commitments and improving our resilience and efficiency.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 25 June 2024.
Please use the links above to respond to the NHS Constitution review as soon as possible to avoid missing your opportunity to have your say.
I would welcome a discussion on how best to respond to the 'Environmental Responsibilities' section of the consultation. Here is the relevant text:
"The NHS is a major contributor to the UK’s carbon footprint, being responsible for over 30% of public sector emissions. The government has already placed legal duties on NHS bodies through the Health and Care Act 2022 that compel action on environmental issues. As the hosts of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2021, the government further committed to updating the NHS Constitution to reflect its environmental responsibilities, while guaranteeing transparency for patients and the public on how this work aligns with the NHS’s core principles and the government’s overall environmental strategy.
We are therefore proposing to add a new NHS value of ‘Environmental responsibilities’: We play our part in achieving legislative commitments on the environment. We do this by improving our resilience and efficiency, while always prioritising value for money. We will never compromise standards of care or the needs of patients in pursuit of these targets."
This language again implies (as did the GMC consultation) that there is a trade-off between quality and sustainability!
Would anyone like to share ideas about better wording? If a few of us can formulate some options here it may spark ideas for others who would like to respond.
Deadline for the consultation is next week (25 June) so pls reply ASAP if you have thoughts.
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