Law

National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2026-03-28, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 243 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Welsh Ministers' duty to promote health service
  3. 1A Welsh Ministers' duty to secure quality in health services
  4. 2 Welsh Ministers' general power
  5. 3 Welsh Ministers' duty as to provision of certain services
  6. 4 High security psychiatric services
  7. 5 Other services
  8. 6 Performance of functions outside Wales
  9. 6A Reimbursement of cost of services provided in another EEA state
  10. 6B Prior authorisation for the purposes of section 6A
  11. 6BA Reimbursement of cost of services provided in another EEA state where expenditure incurred on or after 25 October 2013
  12. 6BB Prior authorisation for the purposes of section 6BA
  13. 7 NHS contracts
  14. 8 Provision for bodies in Northern Ireland
  15. 8A Provision for bodies in Scotland
  16. 9 Arrangements to be treated as NHS contracts
  17. 10 Welsh Ministers' arrangements with other bodies
  18. 10A Procurement of services etc. as part of the NHS in Wales
  19. 10B Direct payments for health care
  20. 10C Regulations about direct payments
  21. 10D Arrangements with other bodies relating to direct payments
  22. 11 Local Health Boards
  23. 12 Functions of Local Health Boards
  24. 12A Local Health Boards' duty to secure quality in health services
  25. 13 Exercise of Local Health Board functions
  26. 14 Section 50 arrangements and section 64 arrangements
  27. 15 Administration and management of services
  28. 16 Advice for Local Health Boards
  29. 17 Plans for improving health etc
  30. 18 NHS trusts
  31. 19 Welsh Ministers' directions to NHS trusts
  32. 20 General duty of NHS trusts
  33. 20A Duty of NHS trusts to secure quality in health services
  34. 21 Financial provisions relating to NHS trusts
  35. 22 Special Health Authorities
  36. 23 Welsh Ministers' directions to Special Health Authorities
  37. 24 Exercise of health service functions by Special Health Authorities
  38. 24A Duty of Special Health Authorities to secure quality in health services
  39. 25 Exercise of Special Health Authority functions
  40. 25A Duty to have regard to providing sufficient nurses
  41. 25B Duty to calculate and take steps to maintain nurse staffing levels
  42. 25C Nurse staffing levels: method of calculation
  43. 25D Nurse staffing levels: guidance
  44. 25E Nurse staffing levels: reports
  45. 26 Intervention orders
  46. 27 Effect of intervention orders
  47. 28 Default powers
  48. 29 Transfer of residual liabilities
  49. 30 Schemes for meeting losses and liabilities etc of certain health service bodies
  50. 31 Directions and regulations under this Part
  51. 32 Supply of goods and services by local authorities
  52. 33 Arrangements between NHS bodies and local authorities
  53. 34 Power of local authorities to make payments
  54. 35 Care Trusts
  55. 36 Directed partnership arrangements
  56. 37 Further provisions about directions and directed partnership arrangements
  57. 38 Supply of goods and services by the Welsh Ministers
  58. 39 Conditions of supply under section 38
  59. 40 Health and well-being strategies in Wales
  60. 41 Primary medical services
  61. 42 General medical services contracts: introductory
  62. 43 Requirement to provide certain primary medical services
  63. 44 Persons eligible to enter into GMS contracts
  64. 45 GMS contracts: payments
  65. 46 GMS contracts: prescription of drugs, etc
  66. 47 GMS contracts: other required terms
  67. 48 GMS contracts: disputes and enforcement
  68. 49 Persons performing primary medical services
  69. 50 Arrangements by Local Health Boards for the provision of primary medical services
  70. 51 Persons with whom agreements may be made under section 50
  71. 52 Regulations about section 50 arrangements
  72. 53 Assistance and support: primary medical services
  73. 54 Local Medical Committees
  74. 55 Use of accommodation: provision of primary medical services
  75. 56 Primary dental services
  76. 57 General dental services contracts: introductory
  77. 58 Requirement to provide certain primary dental services
  78. 59 Persons eligible to enter into GDS contracts
  79. 60 GDS contracts: payments
  80. 61 GDS contracts: other required terms
  81. 62 GDS contracts: disputes and enforcement
  82. 63 Persons performing primary dental services
  83. 64 Arrangements by Local Health Boards for the provision of primary dental services
  84. 65 Persons with whom agreements may be made under section 64
  85. 66 Regulations about section 64 arrangements
  86. 67 Dental public health
  87. 68 Assistance and support: primary dental services
  88. 69 Local Dental Committees
  89. 70 Use of accommodation: provision of primary dental services
  90. 71 Arrangements for general ophthalmic services
  91. 72 Regulations as to general ophthalmic services
  92. 73 Medical practitioners with qualifications prescribed under section 71
  93. 74 Exercise of choice of practitioner
  94. 75 Inadequate provision of ophthalmic services
  95. 76 Remuneration for persons providing general ophthalmic services
  96. 77 Section 76: supplementary
  97. 78 Local Optical Committees
  98. 79 Use of accommodation: provision of general ophthalmic services
  99. 80 Arrangements for pharmaceutical services
  100. 81 Arrangements for additional pharmaceutical services
  101. 82 Terms and conditions, etc
  102. 82A Pharmaceutical needs assessments
  103. 83 Regulations as to pharmaceutical services
  104. 84 Regulations under section 83: appeals, etc
  105. 85 Power to charge
  106. 86 Persons authorised to provide pharmaceutical services
  107. 87 Inadequate provision of pharmaceutical services
  108. 88 Remuneration for persons providing pharmaceutical services
  109. 89 Section 88: supplementary
  110. 90 Local Pharmaceutical Committees
  111. 91 Use of accommodation: provision of pharmaceutical services
  112. 92 Pilot schemes
  113. 93 Making pilot schemes
  114. 94 Designation of priority neighbourhoods or premises
  115. 95 Reviews of pilot schemes
  116. 96 Variation and termination of pilot schemes
  117. 97 NHS contracts and the provision of piloted services
  118. 98 Funding of preparatory work
  119. 99 Application of this Act
  120. 100 Premises from which piloted services may be provided
  121. 101 Control of entry regulations
  122. 102 Local pharmaceutical services schemes
  123. 103 Application of enactments
  124. 104 Conditional inclusion in ophthalmic and pharmaceutical lists
  125. 105 Supplementary lists
  126. 106 Further provision about regulations under section 105
  127. 107 Disqualification of practitioners
  128. 108 Contingent removal
  129. 109 Fraud and unsuitability cases: supplementary
  130. 110 Suspension
  131. 111 Suspension pending appeal
  132. 112 Effect of suspension
  133. 113 Review of decisions
  134. 114 Appeals
  135. 115 National disqualification
  136. 116 Notification of decisions
  137. 117 Withdrawal from lists
  138. 118 Regulations about decisions under this Chapter
  139. 119 Corresponding provisions in Scotland and Northern Ireland
  140. 120 Indemnity cover
  141. 121 Charges for drugs, medicines or appliances, or pharmaceutical services
  142. 122 Exemptions from general charging
  143. 123 Pre-payment certificates
  144. 124 Charges in respect of non-residents
  145. 125 Dental charging
  146. 126 Exemptions from dental charging
  147. 127 Charges, recovery of payments and penalties
  148. 128 Charges for optical appliances
  149. 129 Payments in respect of optical appliances
  150. 130 Remission and repayment of charges
  151. 131 Payment of travelling expenses
  152. 132 Sections 130 and 131: supplementary
  153. 133 Charges for more expensive supplies
  154. 134 Charges for repairs and replacements in certain cases
  155. 135 Charges for designated services or facilities
  156. 136 Sums otherwise payable to those providing services
  157. 137 Hospital accommodation on part payment
  158. 138 Expenses payable by employed patients
  159. 139 Recovery of charges
  160. 140 Recovery of charges and payments in relation to goods and services
  161. 141 Penalties relating to charges
  162. 142 Offences relating to charges
  163. 143 Compulsory disclosure of documents
  164. 144 Persons and bodies about which provision is made by this Part
  165. 145 Notice requiring production of documents
  166. 146 Production of documents
  167. 147 Delegation of functions
  168. 148 Code of practice relating to delegated functions
  169. 149 Disclosure of information
  170. 150 Protection of personal information disclosed for purposes of proceedings
  171. 151 Manner in which disclosure notice may be served
  172. 152 Offences in connection with production of documents
  173. 153 Offences relating to disclosure or use of information
  174. 154 Offences by bodies corporate etc
  175. 155 Offences committed by partnerships and other unincorporated associations
  176. 156 Penalties for offences under this Part: transitional modification
  177. 157 Orders and regulations under this Part
  178. 158 Interpretation of this Part
  179. 159 Acquisition, use and maintenance of property
  180. 160 Special trustees for a university or teaching hospital
  181. 161 Transfers of trust property
  182. 162 Transfer of functions and property to or from special trustees
  183. 163 Trustees and property under section 169
  184. 164 Application of trust property: further provisions
  185. 165 Trusts: supplementary provisions
  186. 166 Transferred property free of trusts
  187. 167 Trust property previously held for general hospital purposes
  188. 168 Voluntary hospitals
  189. 169 Power to raise money
  190. 170 Public-private partnerships
  191. 171 Means of meeting expenditure of Special Health Authorities out of public funds
  192. 172 Financial duties of Special Health Authorities
  193. 173 Resource limits for Special Health Authorities
  194. 174 Public funding of Local Health Boards
  195. 175 Financial duties of Local Health Boards
  196. 176 Resource limits for Local Health Boards
  197. 177 Further provision about the expenditure of Local Health Boards
  198. 178 Accounts and audit
  199. 179 Allowances for members of certain bodies
  200. 180 Special arrangement as to payment of remuneration
  201. 181 Payments for certain medical examinations
  202. 182 Community Health Councils
  203. 183 Public involvement and consultation
  204. 184 Functions of overview and scrutiny committees
  205. 185 Joint overview and scrutiny committees etc
  206. 186 Overview and scrutiny committees: exempt information
  207. 187 Independent advocacy services
  208. 188 Joint working with the prison service
  209. 189 Welsh Ministers' standing advisory committees
  210. 190 Advisory committees for Wales
  211. 191 Emergency powers
  212. 192 Local social service authorities
  213. 193 Supplies not readily obtainable
  214. 194 Power of Local Health Boards to make payments towards expenditure on community services
  215. 195 Payments in respect of voluntary organisations under section 194
  216. 196 Power of Welsh Ministers to make payments towards expenditure on community services in Wales
  217. 197 University clinical teaching and research
  218. 198 Permission for use of facilities in private practice
  219. 199 Persons displaced by health service development
  220. 200 Special notices of births and deaths
  221. 201 Provision of information by Registrar General
  222. 202 Territorial limit of exercise of functions
  223. 203 Orders, regulations and directions
  224. 204 Further provision about orders and directions under this Act
  225. 205 Supplementary regulatory powers
  226. 206 Interpretation
  227. 207 Index of defined expressions
  228. 208 Commencement
  229. 209 Short title, extent and application
  230. SCHEDULE 1 Further provision about the Welsh Ministers and services under this Act
  231. SCHEDULE 2 Local Health Boards
  232. SCHEDULE 3 NHS trusts established under section 18
  233. SCHEDULE 4 Financial provision about NHS trusts established under section 18
  234. SCHEDULE 5 Special Health Authorities established under section 22
  235. SCHEDULE 6 Pilot schemes
  236. SCHEDULE 7 LPS schemes
  237. SCHEDULE 8 Further provision about the expenditure of Local Health Boards
  238. SCHEDULE 9 Accounts and audit
  239. SCHEDULE 10 Further provision about Community Health Councils
  240. SCHEDULE 11 Exempt information relating to health services
  241. SCHEDULE 12 Section 33 arrangements: transfer of staff
  242. SCHEDULE 13 Further provision about standing advisory committees
  243. SCHEDULE 14 Further provision about advisory committees for Wales

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

243 provisions

SCHEDULE 12 Section 33 arrangements: transfer of staff

Section 33 Application of Schedule 1 This Schedule applies where, under any arrangements under regulations under section 33, any functions of a body (“the transferor”) will be exercised by another body (“the transferee”). Orders transferring staff 2 (1) The Welsh Ministers may by order transfer to the transferee any specified description of employees of the transferor. (2) An order may be made under this paragraph only if any prescribed requirements about consultation have been complied with in relation to each of the employees to be transferred. Effect of order on contracts of employment 3 (1) The contract of employment of an employee transferred by an order under paragraph 2— (a) is not terminated by the transfer, and (b) has effect from the date of the transfer as if originally made between the employee and the transferee. (2) In particular— (a) all the rights, powers, duties and liabilities of the transferor under or in connection with the employee's contract of employment are by virtue of this sub-paragraph transferred to the transferee, and (b) anything done before the date of the transfer by or in relation to the transferor in respect of the employee or his contract of employment is deemed from that date to have been done by or in relation to the transferee. (3) Sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) do not transfer an employee's contract of employment, or the rights, powers, duties and liabilities under or in connection with it, if he informs the transferor or the transferee that he objects to the transfer. (4) Where an employee objects as mentioned in sub-paragraph (3), his contract of employment with the transferor is terminated immediately before the date on which the transfer would occur; but he must not be treated, for any purpose, as having been dismissed by that body. (5) This paragraph does not affect any right of an employee transferred by an order under paragraph 2 to terminate his contract of employment if a substantial change is made to his detriment in his working conditions; but no such right arises by reason only that, under this paragraph, the identity of his employer changes unless the employee shows that, in all the circumstances, the change is a significant change and is to his detriment. Effect of order on pension rights 4 (1) An order under paragraph 2 may provide that, in the case of an employee of any specified description who is transferred by the order, paragraph 3 does not apply in relation to— (a) so much of the employee's contract of employment as relates to relevant pension provisions, or (b) any rights, powers, duties or liabilities under or in connection with that contract, or otherwise arising in connection with the employee's employment, and relating to such provisions. (2) If an order under paragraph 2 provides as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1), the order may in relation to any such employee make such provision (if any) as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate with respect to all or any of the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of that sub-paragraph. (3) The provision which may be made by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) includes provision— (a) for any such employee's contract of employment with the transferee to have effect with any specified modifications, (b) for relevant pension provisions of any specified description to have effect in the case of any such employee with any such modifications. (4) In this paragraph “relevant pension provisions” means the provisions of an occupational pension scheme within the meaning of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48), with the exception (if the order under paragraph 2 so provides) of any provisions of such a scheme falling within a description specified in the order. Divided employments 5 (1) Where an employee will be transferred by an order under paragraph 2 but will continue to be employed for certain purposes by the transferor, the order may provide that the contract of employment of the employee is, on the date on which the employee is transferred, divided so as to constitute two separate contracts of employment between the employee and the transferor and between the employee and the transferee. (2) Where an employee's contract of employment is divided as provided under sub-paragraph (1)— (a) the order must provide for paragraph 3 to have effect in the case of the employee and his contract of employment subject to appropriate modifications, and (b) paragraph 4 similarly applies only so far as appropriate in connection with the employee's employment by the transferee.

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SCHEDULE 13 Further provision about standing advisory committees

Section 189 1 Regulations may make provision with respect to— (a) the appointment, (b) the tenure of office (including removal or suspension from office), and (c) the vacation of office, of the members of any standing advisory committee. 2 The Welsh Ministers must appoint a secretary to each standing advisory committee. 3 Each standing advisory committee may appoint such sub-committees as it considers appropriate, and as are approved by the Welsh Ministers, to consider and report on questions referred to it by the standing advisory committee. 4 Any such sub-committee may include persons who are not members of the standing advisory committee. 5 Each standing advisory committee must elect one of the members of the committee to be chairman of the committee. 5A But regulations under paragraph 1(b) may make provision about the appointment by the Welsh Ministers of an interim chairman of a standing advisory committee in cases where the chairman elected under paragraph 5 is removed or suspended from office. 6 Each standing advisory committee has power to regulate its own procedure. 7 The proceedings of a standing advisory committee are not invalidated by any vacancy in the membership of the committee, or by any defect in a member's appointment or qualification. 8 The Welsh Ministers may make such payments in respect of expenses incurred by a standing advisory committee as they may determine. 9 The Welsh Ministers may pay to the members of a standing advisory committee, or a sub-committee of a standing advisory committee, such travelling and other allowances, including compensation for loss of remunerative time, as they may determine. 10 Payments under this Schedule are subject to such conditions as to records, certificates, or otherwise as the Welsh Ministers may determine.

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SCHEDULE 14 Further provision about advisory committees for Wales

Section 190 1 (1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies where the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that a committee formed for Wales is representative of— (a) any category of persons (other than a category mentioned in section 190(2)) who provide services forming part of the health service, or (b) two or more of any of the categories mentioned in that subsection and paragraph (a). (2) Where this sub-paragraph applies and the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that it is in the interests of the health service to recognise the committee, the Welsh Ministers must recognise the committee and specify a name for it. (3) Where a committee recognised under sub-paragraph (2) appears to the Welsh Ministers to represent categories of persons which include a category mentioned in section 190(2), the Welsh Ministers are not required by virtue of that subsection to recognise a committee representing persons of that category. 2 The Welsh Ministers may, by notice in writing served on any member of a committee, withdraw their recognition of the committee if they consider it expedient to do so— (a) where the committee is recognised under section 190 or paragraph 1(1)(a), with a view to recognising under paragraph 1(1)(b) another committee representing categories of persons which include the category represented by the recognised committee, or (b) where the committee is recognised under paragraph 1(1)(b), with a view to recognising under section 190 and paragraph 1 other committees which together are representative of the categories in question. 3 A committee recognised under section 190 or this Schedule must— (a) advise the Welsh Ministers on the provision by them of services of a kind provided by the categories of persons of whom the committee is representative, and (b) perform such other functions as may be prescribed. 4 The Welsh Ministers may defray such expenses incurred by a committee in performing the duty imposed on it by paragraph 3 as the Welsh Ministers consider reasonable, and those expenses may include travelling and other allowances and compensation for loss of remunerative time.

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