Part 1: Health Service in England: Integration, Collaboration and Other Changes Collaborative Working Section 73: Repeal of duties to promote autonomy
This section amends the NHS Act 2006 by removing the Secretary of State and NHS England’s duties to promote autonomy.
	The rationale for removing these duties is to ensure that they do not conflict with duties for system partners to cooperate and think more broadly about the interests of the wider health system. NHS England will continue to function as an arm’s length body, but the removal of these duties also allows for the introduction of section 45 which gives the Secretary of State the ability to direct NHS England in regard to the exercise of their functions. The Secretary of State, when considering whether to place requirements on NHS England, will have to make a judgement as to whether these are in the interests of the public.