Commentary on Sections Part 2 –Standards Chapter 2 - Nhs Health Care: Introductory Section 45: Quality in health care
147.Section 45 places a duty on all NHS bodies to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to monitor and improve the quality of health care they provide or commission. This replaces the current duty of quality in section 18 of the Health Act 1999. Under subsection (2), “health care” includes the promotion and protection of public health, whereas in the Health Act 1999 it was limited to services for or in connection with the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness.
148.Subsection (3) states that ‘illness’ has the same meaning as in section 128(1) of the 1977 Act, that it includes mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 and any injury or disability requiring medical or dental treatment or nursing.