The Health and Social Care Bill back in Parliament

Earlier this year the Government strengthened plans to modernise the NHS following the recommendations of the independent NHS Future Forum. The Forum's report concluded that there was considerable support for the principles of reform and that the NHS must change to meet future challenges. The Department of Health noted that the bill has so far spent longer being scrutinised than any public bill between 1997 and 2010 - 40 Committee sittings, and over 100 hours of debate. It will now continue the legislative process. The bill's core principle are: • where the Secretary of State wi...