The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7199 p705-712
25 May 2002

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News summary

Draft Bill for Welsh NHS published

A draft NHS (Wales) Bill was published last week.

The draft Bill sets out proposals to give patients more of a say in the running of the NHS and to provide information that will further protect and improve public health in Wales.

The main components of the draft Bill are:

• Developing the role of the 22 Community Health Councils
• Creating a Welsh centre for health, a new independent organisation with responsibility for training, advice and research related to the protection and improvement of the health of the people of Wales
• Establishing Health Professions Wales as a successor to the Wales National Board for nursing, midwifery and health visiting

Don Touhig, Parlimentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales said that the Bill has been published in draft form to enable people throughout Wales, including those who work in the health service and patients themselves, to comment on the proposals.

A government spokesman told The Journal that pharmacy was not covered by the new Bill. This is because the regulation of pharmacy is not a devolved issue.

A copy of the draft Bill is available on the internet.