Overview

Mills & Reeve's monthly health update offers legal analysis across a broad range of topics. Current issues include Freedom of Information, land agreements and equal pay. In terms of look further ahead, the National Commissioning Board, public health and pharmaceutical pricing are discussed.

The full list of contents is as follows:

NHS MANAGEMENT: STANDARDS
• Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence to draft standards

NHS MANAGEMENT: COMMISSIONING
• Developing the NHS Commissioning Board

NHS MANAGEMENT: PUBLIC HEALTH
• Public health command paper published

NHS MANAGEMENT: REAL ESTATE
• Land agreements and the Competition Act - OFT final guidance

NHS MANAGEMENT: INFORMATION GOVERNANCE
• Court of Appeal gives a steer on the interpretation of Section 32 of the Freedom of Information Act

NHS MANAGEMENT: REGULATORY MATTERS
• House of Lords select committee reviews the Professional Qualifications Directive: mobility of healthcare professionals

NHS MANAGEMENT: EMPLOYMENT
• Change to Treasury approval regime
• Equal pay and genuine material factor defences
• Trust’s disciplinary policy held to have contractual status

PATIENT MATTERS: CHILDREN
• GMC consultation on new child protection guidance

PATIENT MATTERS: CONTINUING HEALTHCARE
• Dilnot commission, the key recommendations
• The key proposal: a social insurance model with an excess
• NHS Continuing Healthcare Practice Guidance published

PATIENT MATTERS: FUNDING OF DRUGS
• Government responds to consultation on value - based pricing

PATIENT MATTERS:FERTILITY ISSUES
• Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority agrees new policies in wake of donation consultation

PATIENT MATTERS: END OF LIFE CARE
• Palliative care review
• Key recommendations

PATIENT MATTERS: MENTAL HEALTH ACT
• Court considers the extent of the duty to consult with the nearest relative under the Mental Health Act

PATIENT MATTERS: COMPLAINTS
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman publishes complaints statistics

PATIENT MATTERS: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Human rights in healthcare website launched

PATIENT MATTERS: SUICIDE
• Consultation on the Prevention of Suicide

LEGAL PROCESS
• Consultation on reform of Ministry of Justice bodies launched

Click 'vew briefing' for the full analysis.