Catalogue description National Health Service Health Advisory Service: Reports and Papers

The National Health Service Health Advisory Service originated as the NHS Hospital Advisory Service and was set up in 1969. It was an independent body reporting directly to the Secretary of State for Social Services concerning hospitals in England, and to the Secretary of State for Wales concerning hospitals in Wales. It was formally announced in DHSS circular HM(69)59 and an Initial Plan of Operation was issued with HM(70)17.

The intention was to help hospitals improve the management of patient care (excluding matters of individual clinical judgement) by offering constructive criticism and propagating good practice and new ideas, and to advise the secretaries of state about hospital conditions. To this end it sent teams of experts to look at the range of services offered by individual hospitals, and the extent to which they conformed to accepted standards. It did not investigate individual complaints.

In 1976 its functions were extended to include community health services, at which time its title was changed to the NHS Health Advisory Service.

The service was independent of the Department of Health and Social Security. The Director reported directly to the Secretary of State and he was free to comment on all aspects of the organisation of the National Health Service.