The granting of Royal Assent to the Health Act 2009 last week placed a legal duty on the NHS and its providers to “pay regard to” the NHS Constitution, which you’ll remember we discussed last week. This legal duty will help safeguard the NHS’s principles in the future, and give added confidence to patients and staff alike.

The Health Act also bans the display of tobacco products in shops and enables the piloting of direct payments for healthcare. This latter measure will add further choice and control to the NHS, which of course was a key aim of High Quality Care for All.

“Ara Darzi’s Next Stage Review set a clear vision for the NHS,” Andy Burnham last week.”The Health Act 2009 puts this into practice and strengthens the NHS, taking forward the vital reforms of the last few years.”

The Act also paves the way for innovation prizes, new quality accounts and the reform of pharmacy services - all hugely important to achieving quality. Quality, innovation, and prevention go together - the Health Act 2009 empowers the NHS to achieve more in all these areas.