The government has today announced it will consult on proposed updates to the NHS constitution to ensure the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients is respected.
Proposed changes will be brought forward later this year, ahead of the next routine update to the NHS constitution and its handbook in summer 2024. As part of this exercise, we the government will closely consider the latest advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on delicate issues of balancing the rights of different protected characteristics of patients in certain settings.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
It is important to recognise the biological needs of patients and we will launch a consultation which will help us to go further to protect the privacy and dignity of everyone who receives care.
The proposed changes will be made to the NHS Constitution for England, which aims to safeguard the enduring principles and values of the NHS, and to empower staff to help improve the care it provides by setting out legal rights for patients and staff when using NHS services. It also sets out clear expectations about the behaviour of both staff and patients, and the role they need to play in supporting the NHS.
