18.15The government has also issued The Handbook to the NHS Constitution (27 July 2015) which provides more detail about the rights and pledges in the constitution.2www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/474450/NHS_Constitution_Handbook_v2.pdf.

18.16These relate to England only and are issued under Chapter 1 of the Health Act 2009, which also imposes various duties on the Secretary of State for Health, CCG and other health bodies in relation to the Constitution and Handbook. The Secretary of State for Health is required to take the NHS Constitution into account (section 1B) and CCG are required to promote the NHS Constitution (section 14P).

18.17In Wales, there are ‘Core Principles’.3www.wales.nhs.uk/nhswalesaboutus/thecoreprinciplesofnhswales.