National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006

National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 ^[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to the health service.
Citation	2006 c. 42
Territorial extent	England and Wales [2]
Dates
Royal assent	8 November 2006
Commencement	1 March 2007, subject to section 208 [3]
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (c. 42), sometimes known as the NHS (Wales) Act 2006 ^[4] is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to NHS Wales.

Provisions

It consolidates legislation relating to the National Health Service as it relates to Wales. ^[5]

The act devolved certain powers relating to health policy to the National Assembly for Wales. ^[5]

The act establishes local health boards and NHS trusts. ^[5] The act establishes mechanisms for improving the delivery of healthcare. ^[5] The act places certain requirements on local health boards to consult on closures of GP surgeries. ^[6] The Welsh Government can place local health boards into special measures under the act. ^[7] The act requires equitable, prompt and effective health service delivery. ^[8] The act requires that the healthcare be free at the point of delivery. ^[9]

Amendments

National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014

National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014
Act of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
Long title	An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision in relation to the financial duties of Local Health Boards.
Citation	2014 anaw 2
Introduced by	Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services
Dates
Royal assent	27 January 2014
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through the Assembly
Text of the National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The 2006 act was amended by the National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014 to require that each local health board ensure that its expenditure does not exceed its funding applied over a period of rolling window of three years beginning with each rather than just applying to each financial year. ^{[10] [11]}

National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020

National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020
Act of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
Long title	An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to amend the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 to make provision about indemnities in respect of expenses and liabilities arising in connection with the provision of health services.
Citation	2014 anaw 2
Introduced by	Vaughan Gething AM, Minister for Health and Social Services.
Dates
Royal assent	26 February 2020
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through the Assembly
Text of the National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The 2006 act was amended by the National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020 to establish an indemnity scheme for GPs. ^[12] The indemnity scheme had first started in April 2019. ^[13]

Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024

Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024
Act of Senedd Cymru
Senedd Cymru
Long title	An Act of Senedd Cymru in relation to the procurement of health services in Wales.
Citation	2024 asc 1
Introduced by	Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services
Dates
Royal assent	27 January 2014
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through the Senedd
Text of the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The 2006 act was amended by the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024 to establish a new procurement regime for health services in Wales. ^[14] The act allows Wales to be aligned to a new procurement model in England. ^[14] Plaid Cymru criticised the legislation as "creeping privatisation". ^[15]

References

• Timothy H Jones. "National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2006. Sweet & Maxwell. London. W Green. Edinburgh. 2006. Volume 2. Chapter 42. pp 42-1 to 42-173.
• Halsbury's Statutes

1. The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by section 209(1) of this Act.
2. The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, section 209(2)
3. The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, section 208(1)
4. Shipton, Martin (30 May 2025). "Health board investigates case of patient forced to endure constant pain because of administrative blunders". Nation.Cymru. Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
5. "National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (2006 c 42)". LexisNexis. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
6. Wightwick, Abbie (14 May 2023). "Entire village marches in fury to demand their GP surgery isn't moved away". Wales Online . Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
7. Yarwood, Sam (8 June 2015). "Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board put in special measures". North Wales Live . Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
8. Shipton, Martin (30 May 2025). "Health board investigates case of patient forced to endure constant pain because of administrative blunders". Nation.Cymru. Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
9. "The Health and Social Care (Wales) Bill Series – Direct Payments for NHS Continuing Healthcare". Local Government Lawyer. 18 March 2025. Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
10. "Debate: National Health Service Finance Bill". Democracy Live. BBC News . 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
11. "What are the planning and escalation frameworks in the NHS in Wales?". NHS Confederation. 28 January 2025. Archived from the original on 29 January 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
12. "Wales to introduce government-backed GP indemnity next year". Pulse Today . 14 May 2018. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
13. "Wales confirms state-backed indemnity scheme will start in April". GP. 6 February 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
14. "MSs sign off on new Health Service Procurement bill". Nation.Cymru . 15 November 2023. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
15. Shipton, Martin (14 October 2023). "Welsh Labour is 'failing to protect public services from unscrupulous bidders' claims Plaid Cymru". Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.