Health Bill 2026-27

NC12

To move the following Clause— “Corridor Care Accountability (1) Six months after the passage of this Act, and every 12 months thereafter, the Secretary of State must produce and lay before Parliament a report on the prevalence of corridor care in NHS hospitals. (2) A report under subsection (1) must include— (a) an analysis of data on the number of corridor incidents at the national, integrated care board, trust, and hospital level, (b) the steps the Secretary of State has taken that year to reduce the number of corridor care incidents, (c) the Secretary of State’s plans to reduce the number of corridor care incidents in the coming year, and (d) information regarding the amount of funding directed toward reducing the number of corridor care incidents that year and funding allocated for such efforts in the future. (3) Following the publication of a report under subsection (1) the Secretary of State must give evidence in front of a panel (to be called the “Corridor Care Tribunal”) including— (a) patients, (b) bereaved or affected families, and (c) frontline NHS staff who have been impacted by corridor care. (4) Panel members for a Corridor Care Tribunal under subsection (3) shall be identified by local Healthwatch organisations and NHS Royal Colleges.”

NC13

To move the following Clause— “Maternity Safety (1) The Secretary of State must ensure that every NHS maternity unit is rated “good” or “outstanding” by the CQC. (2) The Secretary of State must, within 6 months of the passage of this Act, establish a scheme to support NHS trusts to deliver the requirement under subsection (1), which includes— (a) 24/7 consultant obstetrician cover on every labour ward, (b) one-to-one midwifery care, (c) a Director of Midwifery in every maternity service, (d) ringfenced maternity service development funding, and (e) a dedicated neonatal workforce plan. (3) Within 12 months of the commencement of the scheme under subsection (2), and every 12 months thereafter, an annual report should be laid before both Houses of Parliament on the effectiveness of the scheme.”

NC14

To move the following Clause— “Healthy life expectancy target (1) Within six months of the passage of this Act, the Secretary of State must— (a) make regulations to set a statutory target for improving overall healthy life expectancy for the population of Great Britain, and (b) publish a cross-governmental strategy, renewed every 24 months, to set out how the target set by regulations under subsection (1)(a) will be achieved. (2) The strategy under subsection (1)(b) must be laid before both Houses of Parliament. (3) Upon publication of a strategy under subsection (1)(b) the Secretary of State must make a statement before the House of Commons regarding progress made towards the target set by subsection (1)(a).”

NC15

To move the following Clause— “Impact of trade deals on the NHS (1) Any trade negotiation which would require NHS spending or funding to exceed £100 million must be laid before Parliament by the Secretary of State in the form of regulations subject to the affirmative procedure. (2) Before laying regulations under subsection (1) the Secretary of State must publish an impact assessment about how the trade negotiation will affect NHS frontline services and patients.”

NC16

To move the following Clause— “Duty to promote the health and wellbeing of carers After section 14Z44 of the NHS Act 2006 insert— “Duty to promote the health and wellbeing of carers (1) Each integrated care board must exercise its functions with a view to improving and maintaining the physical health, mental health, and wellbeing of carers within its area. (2) In exercising its duties under this section, an integrated care board must have regard to— (a) reduction of health inequalities experienced by carers, (b) prevention deterioration in carers’ physical and/or mental health, (c) involvement of carers in decisions relating to the care of persons for whom they provide care, and (d) the need to ensure carers are able to access appropriate preventative and other health services and support. (3) An integrated care board must take reasonable steps to ensure that NHS bodies and providers of NHS services within its area— (a) consider the health and wellbeing needs of carers in care planning and discharge processes, (b) involve carers appropriately in decisions relating to care and treatment, and (c) provide carers with information about support available to them for their health and wellbeing. (4) In preparing a Joint Forward Plan, an integrated care board must include— (a) an assessment of the health and wellbeing needs of carers within its area, (b) steps the integrated care board proposes to take to improve outcomes for carers, and (c) measures for reducing inequalities experienced by carers. (5) In this section, “carer” has the meaning given by section 10 of the Care Act 2014 and includes a young carer within the meaning of section 96 of the Children and Families Act 2014.””

NC17

To move the following Clause— “Duty to identify and record unpaid carers After section 14Z44 of the NHS Act 2006 insert— “Duty to identify and record unpaid carers (1) An integrated care board must take reasonable steps to identify persons within its area who are unpaid carers. (2) An integrated care board must make arrangements to ensure that NHS bodies and providers of NHS services within its area— (a) maintain appropriate systems for recording whether a person is an unpaid carer, (b) use consistent coding standards for the recording of unpaid carers in health records, (c) review and update records relating to unpaid carers at appropriate intervals, and (d) ensure that the identification and recording of unpaid carers forms part of— (i) primary care registration processes, (ii) hospital discharge procedures, (iii) care planning processes, and (iv) other relevant patient contact pathways. (3) For the purposes of this section, “carer” has the meaning given by section 10 of the Care Act 2014 and includes a young carer within the meaning of section 96 of the Children and Families Act 2014.””

NC18

To move the following Clause— “National Respite Care Scheme (1) Within six months of the passage of this Act, the Secretary of State must establish a National Respite Care Scheme. (2) The scheme under subsection (1) must make provision for— (a) a local authority carrying out a carer’s assessment under section 10 of the Care Act 2014 to be required to consider whether a carer is able to take sufficient breaks from their caring responsibilities. (b) unpaid carers to receive support to take breaks from their caring responsibilities to— (i) maintain their physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing, (ii) participate in work, education, training or recreation, and (iii) participate in family and community life. (c) a carer to receive appropriate support if a local authority carrying out an assessment under subsection (2)(a) determines that a carer is unable to take sufficient breaks from caring. (3) Under subsection (2), “support” may include— (a) replacement care for the cared-for person; (b) respite services; (c) any other steps a local authority considers appropriate as support. (4) The Secretary of State must provide sufficient support to local authorities to ensure the scheme under subsection (1) is delivered in every local authority. (5) For the purposes of this section “unpaid carer” has the meaning given by section 10 of the Care Act 2014 and includes a young carer within the meaning of section 96 of the Children and Families Act 2014.”

9

Clause 43, page 30, line 36, at end insert— "(2A) The Secretary of State must give integrated care boards directions to increase spending on mental health services at least in line with the change in level of their total programme funding."

10

Clause 43, page 30, line 39, after "subsection (1)” insert "and (2A)”

11

Clause 47, page 34, line 4, after "available” insert "for the purpose of delivering or improving patient health or social care"

8

Clause 47, page 34, line 19, after "behalf” insert “, including nominated carers"

12

Clause 47, page 34, leave out lines 27 to 29

1

Page 46, line 15, leave out Clause 64

3

Page 46, line 18, leave out Clause 65

NC1

To move the following Clause— "National Maternity Commissioner (1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of the passing of this Act, appoint a National Maternity Commissioner, situated within the Department of Health and Social Care. (2) The functions of the National Maternity Commissioner are to— (a) oversee NHS maternity services; (b) act as an independent voice for women and families; (c) ensure lessons are learned from identified failures and that the recommendations of maternity reviews are acted upon; (d) promote consistency, safety and accountability across NHS maternity services; and (e) advise the Secretary of State on matters relating to the safety, quality and provision of maternity services in England. (3) The person appointed as Commissioner must— (a) be a person with knowledge, expertise and experience relevant to the discharge of functions of the role; (b) have first-hand experience of working in maternity services, so far as reasonably possible; and (c) not be a sitting Member of Parliament."

NC2

To move the following Clause— "Right to a GP appointment (1) The Secretary of State must by regulations, within six months of the passing of this Act, establish a scheme to provide every patient with the right to a GP appointment within seven days of seeking one. (2) The scheme should include a right contained in the NHS constitution for a patient to receive a GP appointment within seven days, or 24 hours if urgent. (3) The Secretary of State may review the scheme every three years from the day on which this Act is passed and amend it through regulations made by statutory instrument. (4) A statutory instrument under this section may not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”

NC3

To move the following Clause— "Assessment of risks posed by contracts with non-UK based suppliers (1) Within six months of the passing of this Act, the Secretary of State must conduct and lay before Parliament a risk assessment of all contracts between NHS organisations and suppliers based outside of the UK. (2) In conducting an assessment under this section the Secretary of State must— (a) pay particular regard to contracts which provide technology companies with access to confidential patient data; (b) consult national security experts on the risks posed to UK sovereignty by such contracts; (c) consider risks associated with the sharing of confidential patient data with organisations based outside of the UK; (d) assess public and NHS staff attitudes to relevant suppliers and any implications such attitudes may have on the use and effectiveness of products or services provided under the contract; and (e) consider the background of relevant suppliers, known contracts with other states and organisations, and any relevant ethical considerations. (3) Where any significant risk is identified, the Secretary of State must set out the Government's intentions to manage and mitigate such risks, including its intention to use or develop domestic technologies, systems or products in place of those provided under the relevant contract.”

NC4

To move the following Clause— "Duty on the Secretary of State to prioritise domestic suppliers In the National Health Service Act 2006, after section 1CC (inserted by section 6 of this Act) insert— "1CD Duty to prioritise domestic suppliers (1) In exercising functions in relation to the health and care service, the Secretary of State must prioritise the awarding of any contract that will involve the handling of NHS patient data to suppliers based in the United Kingdom. (2) The Secretary of State may only seek to procure technology and information systems which will handle NHS patient data from suppliers based outside of the United Kingdom where a viable domestic alternative does not exist. (3) Before signing any contract for the procurement of technology and information systems which will handle NHS patient data with a supplier based outside of the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State must consult with— (a) patient groups, (b) national security experts, and (c) staff unions, on the proposed contract and lay a report on such a consultation before Parliament. (4) Where it is proposed to sign a contract for the procurement of technology and information systems which will handle NHS patient data with a supplier based outside of the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State must arrange for a motion agreeing to the signing of such a contract to be tabled in each House of Parliament, and no such contract may be signed where a motion for its agreement is negatived by either House of Parliament. (5) If a contract is awarded for the procurement of technology and information systems which will handle NHS patient data with a supplier based outside of the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State must place a statement before both Houses of Parliament setting out whether the Government is taking, or is planning to take, steps to develop or support long-term domestic alternatives to the systems provided by the contract.""

NC5

To move the following Clause— "NHS Digital Sovereignty Strategy (1) The Secretary of State must, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, publish a strategy ("an NHS Digital Sovereignty Strategy") which sets out the Government's approach to maintaining the security and resilience of relevant NHS information systems by— (a) assessing, managing and mitigating risks— (i) associated with foreign interference, (ii) arising from reliance on foreign-supplied technologies, and (b) preventing over-reliance on foreign providers by building domestic capacity. (2) For the purposes of this section, a “relevant information system" is an information system with access to NHS patient data. (3) An NHS Digital Sovereignty Strategy published under this section must— (a) include risks associated with— (i) hardware, (ii) software, (iii) supply chains, and (iv) procurement processes; (b) include a specific focus on security and resilience in digital procurement processes, detailing how the Government intends to reduce strategic dependencies on foreign-owned service providers to mitigate the risk of systemic disruption; (c) include a commitment to prioritise the use of technologies developed in the UK by UK organisations in relevant information systems to reduce reliance on foreign technologies; (d) recommend steps to support and develop sufficient domestic capability where it does not currently exist; (e) where risks are identified, state how the Government intends to address these risks by supporting the use or development of domestic technologies or systems.”

NC6

To move the following Clause— "Health Data Charter (1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of the passing of this Act, establish an independent body (to be known as the "Sovereign Health Data Trust") for the purpose of creating a Health Data Charter. (2) The membership of the Trust should include— (a) people with a diverse range of backgrounds; and (b) health data experts, clinicians and patient representatives. (3) The Charter must— (a) set out the fundamental principles and responsibilities for assessing whether a data sharing partnership is in the interest of the public and the NHS; (b) include the primary goal of protecting people's privacy and their data from exploitation, while promoting trust in data systems and the handling of health data; (c) ensure patients have control of their data, including providing relevant opt-outs; (d) provide that all health data is held anonymously and accessed through a trusted research environment; (e) set out ways to retain and protect the value of health data in England, including providing measures to invest a share of the income generated from new medicines or treatments developed with that health data to be invested back into the NHS; (f) be designed in such a way as to render it interoperable with the European Health Data Space in technical terms, including through the promotion of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) data principles within the NHS. (4) The Sovereign Health Data Trust will— (a) hold continuous oversight of all health data and oversee the trusted research environment; (b) have power to recall or restrict an organisation's access to data if it has reason to believe that the data is not being used for public or patient benefit; (c) ensure that all data sharing arrangements with a non-NHS organisation are transparent, with all health data contracts entered into by a public body made publicly available; (d) publish detailed minutes of all meetings discussing potential uses of health data; and (e) ensure all health data collection and sharing initiatives are preceded by public consultation, involvement and awareness.”

NC7

To move the following Clause— "Privacy by design in NHS Single Patient Record and Federated Data Platform architecture (1) The Secretary of State must ensure that there is privacy by design as part of the delivery of the NHS Federated Data Platform architecture. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), privacy by design includes— (a) patient data anonymisation outside its usage by clinicians and within the National Data Integration Tenant; and (b) patient consent for the processing of personal information by NHS.”

NC8

To move the following Clause— “NHS ownership of connection software (1) The Secretary of State must ensure that there is NHS ownership of any data connector software architecture used as part of the delivery of the NHS Single Patient Record or Federated Data Platform. (2) In this section, a data connector means an interface or connection between the NHS Federated Data Platform and any other health system.”

NC9

To move the following Clause— “Retendering of contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform The Secretary of State must, before February 2027, commence a competitive retendering for the contract to provide the NHS Federated Data Platform.”

NC10

To move the following Clause— “NHS contracting for IT or data services (1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of the passing of this Act, by regulations establish a governance framework for the contracting of any IT or data services by the Department of Health and Social Care or any NHS organisation. (2) The framework established under subsection (1) must include the following provisions— (a) a party may not bid for any contract for services where such services have previously been provided by the party on a free trial basis; (b) the automatic extension of contracts should be subject to audit by the National Audit Office; (c) contract terms must include provision for the department or NHS organisation to take ownership of any bespoke system built or developed by the contractor during the delivery of the contract; (d) the department or NHS organisation must, at the end of the contract period (or following any extensions) conduct a competitive retendering process; and (e) where a retendering process takes place under subsection (2)(d), the contractor may not assist in the preparation of the contract specification. (3) Regulations under this section are to be made by statutory instrument subject to the affirmative procedure.”

NC11

To move the following Clause— "Directors of public health After section 7B of the National Health Service Act 2006 insert— "7BA Directors of public health Each integrated care board must, for the purposes of exercising any public health functions directed by the Secretary of State, appoint a lead director of public health.""

6

Schedule 7, page 96, leave out lines 38 and 39 and insert— "For section 255 (power to request NHS England to establish information systems), substitute— "255 Powers to request the Secretary of State to establish information systems (1) Any person (including a devolved authority) may request the Secretary of State to establish and operate a system for the collection or analysis of information of a description specified in the request. (2) A request may be made under subsection (1) by a person only if the person considers that the information which could be obtained by complying with the request is information which it is necessary or expedient for the body to have in relation to the person's exercise of functions, or carrying out of activities, in connection with the provision of health care or adult social care. (3) The Secretary of State must comply with a mandatory request unless the Secretary of State considers that the request relates to information of a description prescribed in regulations. (4) For the purposes of this Chapter a request under subsection (1) is a mandatory request if— (a) it is made by a principal body, and (b) the body considers that the information which could be obtained by complying with the request is information which it is necessary or expedient for the body to have in relation to its discharge of a duty in connection with the provision of health services or of adult social care in England. (5) Subsection (6) applies where the Secretary of State has discretion under this section as to whether to comply with— (a) a mandatory request, or (b) any other request under subsection (1). (6) In deciding whether to comply with the request, the Secretary of State— (a) must, in particular, consider whether doing so would interfere to an unreasonable extent with the exercise by the Secretary of State of any of its functions, and (b) may take into account the extent to which the principal body or other person making the request has had regard to— (i) the code of practice prepared and published by the Secretary of State under section 263, and (ii) advice or guidance given by the Secretary of State under section 265. (7) In this section "principal body” means— (a) the Care Quality Commission, (b) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and (c) such other persons as may be prescribed in regulations. (8) In this Chapter “health care” includes all forms of health care whether relating to physical or mental health and also includes procedures that are similar to forms of medical or surgical care but are not provided in connection with a medical condition.""

7

Schedule 7, page 100, leave out paragraph 14

5

Schedule 8, page 120, line 16, at end insert— "(2A) After paragraph 6(8) insert— "(9) A committee of the Commission is to be appointed in accordance with regulations. (10) The purpose of the committee is to oversee the health services safety investigation functions formerly conducted by HHSIB, transferred to the Care Quality Commission under the Health Act 2026. (11) The committee is to be operationally independent from the Care Quality Commission. (12) The committee is to consist of a chair appointed by the Secretary of State, and not less than six and not more than twelve other members appointed by the chair. (13) A majority of the members of the committee must not be members of the Care Quality Commission. (14) So far as is reasonably practicable, the persons appointed to the committee must include persons with knowledge or experience relevant to the discharge of functions under this paragraph.""

2

Page 124, line 20, leave out Schedule 9

4

Page 126, line 1, leave out Schedule 10