Government launches consultation on minimum service levels for healthcare
The Government is consulting on minimum service levels (MSLs) in hospitals during strikes.
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 allows the Secretary of State to set MSLs for strikes in 'relevant services', including health. Once implemented, the MSL regulations will enable hospital employers to issue work notices to some doctors and nurses, requiring them to work during strikes, in order to protect patient safety.
The Government has launched a consultation on introducing MSL regulations for hospitals. The consultation seeks views on a draft set of principles to be used to define MSLs. The general aim of setting MSLs in healthcare is to protect patient safety during strikes, and in particular to ensure the treatment of patients requiring urgent or emergency treatment, as well as those who are already receiving in-patient care, is unaffected during industrial action. The consultation also seeks views on what types of treatments should be covered and whether non-NHS employers should be included within the scope of the MSLs.
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 14 November 2023.