Nationally
The NHS Constitution was developed as part of the NHS Next Stage Review led by Lord Darzi. To help ensure that the NHS Constitution would be meaningful and enduring, it was based on evidence of what matters to patients, the public and NHS staff.
There was an extensive development and research process. This involved talking to patients, the public and staff, discussion events with stakeholders, and getting ideas from experts.
A draft of the Constitution was published for consultation on 30 June 2008. The consultation process extended this conversation about the NHS Constitution wider still, with over 1,000 direct responses to the Department of Health, and a wide range of consultation activity at a local level in the NHS allowing thousands of people to take part in the discussion.
In the East Midlands
NHS East Midlands consulted widely during the consultation period (July to October 2008) and the personal leadership shown by NHS Chairs and Non-Executive Directors in the East Midlands ensured that the process was locally-led, inclusive, innovative and thorough.
NHS East Midlands is committed to empowering its PCTs as leaders of the local community and to fostering close working relationships across the NHS at a community level. To this end, the approach taken to the NHS Constitution consultation was grounded in locally-led PCT and Trust activity, underpinned by national consultation material, such as the questionnaire.
Each PCT and provider Trust developed a consultation engagement plan, with the aim of building on local relationships, networks and links with key stakeholders, staff and in particular, seldom heard groups. This process was overseen and co-ordinated at a regional level by NHS East Midlands.
PCT and Trust Boards played an active and leading role in making the process local, accessible and equitable. Innovative engagement activities were highlighted and shared as good practice.
The result has been a comprehensive engagement programme designed to ensure that as many people as possible living and working in the East Midlands had the opportunity to have their say about the proposed NHS Constitution and how it works.
After the consultation
A national Constitutional Advisory Forum, made up of a number of leading experts and stakeholders, was set up to oversee the consultation process. The Forum was asked to produce a report for the Secretary of State for Health at the end of the consultation. Published in December 2008 as ‘The National Health Constitution: Report of the Constitutional Advisory Forum to the Secretary of State for Health’; it summarised the reflections of Forum members who had attended consultation events and received formal representation from groups and organisations on their thoughts about the NHS Constitution. It also summarised the findings of the consultation exercises within the NHS, which were overseen by strategic health authorities.
The NHS Constitution was published on 21 January 2009 and applies to NHS services in England.
The Constitutional Advisory Forum's report and the Government's response to the consultation can be found here.
