Explanatory note

These Regulations require public bodies in England to undertake an assessment of the risk that modern slavery or human trafficking is taking place in relation to the supply of any good or service which is being procured for the health service in England (see regulations 4, 5 and 6), and which is not excluded from the scope of the Regulations by regulation 3(2).

When a public body has carried out that assessment, the public body is required to take reasonable steps to address the risk identified by the assessment, and if possible eliminate it (regulation 7). The Regulations identify reasonable steps in relation to the procurement (regulation 8), and in relation to the management of the contract (regulation 9). They also require public bodies to undertake a re-assessment of the risk in certain circumstances (see regulation 10), give NHS England power to issue guidance in relation to the Regulations, and require public bodies to have regard to that guidance (regulation 11).

A full impact assessment of the effect that this draft instrument will have on the public sector is available from www.legislation.gov.uk and from the Department of Health and Social Care, 39 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0EU.