Explanatory note

These Regulations make provision in relation to the functions of the Commission for Health Improvement established under section 19 of the Health Act 1999 (“the Commission”).

Regulation 2 sets out the functions of the Commission to be exercised in addition to those specified in sections 20(1)(a) to (d), 21 and 22 of the Health Act 1999.

Regulations 3 to 22 make provision in relation to the exercise of the Commission’s functions in England. In particular, they make provision for an annual work programme (regulation 3), the provision of advice or information with respect to arrangements for the purpose of monitoring and improving health care for which NHS bodies or providers of family health services have responsibility (“clinical governance arrangements”) (regulations 4 and 5), the conduct of local reviews of such arrangements and the reports relating to those reviews (regulations 6 to 9), reports following national service reviews of particular types of health care (regulation 10) and the conduct of investigations into the management, provision or quality of health care for which NHS bodies have responsibility and the reports relating to those investigations (regulations 11 to 16). Regulations 17 to 20 make provision for the Commission and persons authorised by the Commission to enter NHS premises and to obtain documents, information and explanations. Regulations 21 and 22 make provision relating to the provision of assistance to the Audit Commission and to inquiries relating to the health service.