Commentary on Sections Arrangements for provision of health services Business plan and report
229.Business plan. New section 13T requires the NHS Commissioning Board to publish a business plan before the start of the financial year setting out how it is to exercise its functions over the coming three years with a view to achieving its statutory duties and the objectives and requirements set for it by the Secretary of State in the mandate. The NHS Commissioning Board’s business plan must, in particular, set out how it intends to discharge its duties as to improvement of quality under section 13E, as to reducing inequalities under 13G and as to the involvement of the public under 13Q as well its various financial duties under new sections 223C to 223E of the NHS Act. CCGs are required to cover similar matters in their commissioning plans.
230.Annual report. New section 13U requires the NHS Commissioning Board to publish an annual report, as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, on how it has exercised its statutory functions during that year. In particular, the annual report must set out how, in its view, the NHS Commissioning Board has progressed against the proposals it made in its business plan for that year and the objectives and requirements set for it by Secretary of State in the mandate. It must also include an assessment of how effectively it has discharged its duties as to improvement of quality under section 13E, as to reducing inequalities under 13G and as to the involvement of the public under 13Q. The Secretary of State will be under an obligation to review the annual report and publish a letter in response setting out how, in the Secretary of State’s view, the NHS Commissioning Board has performed for the previous year against its statutory duties and the objectives and requirements set for it in the mandate. This letter must also be laid before Parliament.