NHS Dorset Constitution

The NHS Dorset Constitution is an important document that sets out what we’ll do and how we’ll work.

Our Constitution includes information on the board membership and governance arrangements for NHS Dorset, which is a requirement of the new Health and Care Act 2022.

NHS Dorset leaders have worked with key local stakeholders to develop the constitution before proposing it to NHS England. NHS Dorset’s Constitution came into effect from 1 July 2022.

How NHS Dorset will be accountable and transparent

NHS Dorset will demonstrate its accountability to local people, stakeholders and NHS England in a number of ways, including by upholding the requirement for transparency in accordance with the National Health Service Act 2006.

We will:

  • Publish our constitution and other key documents

  • Appoint non-executive members to the board

  • Manage actual or potential conflicts of interest in line with the NHS England’s Conflicts of Interests Statutory Guidance and Expected Standards of Good Practice

  • Hold Integrated Care Board meetings in public (except where we believe that it would not be in the public interest)

  • Publish an annual commissioning strategy

  • Procure services in accordance with prevailing legislation and guidance and publish a procurement strategy

  • Involve the public

  • Follow the key principles of openness, early and active involvement and fairness

  • Comply with local authority health overview and scrutiny requirements

  • Meet annually in public to present an annual report, which will then be published

  • Produce externally audited annual accounts

  • Publish a clear complaints process

  • Comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and with Information Commissioner Office requirements

  • Provide information to NHS England as required

  • Be an active member of local health and wellbeing boards

Declarations of interest

Declaring and registering interests

NHS Dorset maintains registers of the interests of:

  • Members of the integrated care board

  • Members of the board’s committees and sub-committees

  • Its employees

In accordance with the National Health Service Act 2006, all registers of interest will be published on this website.

All relevant persons must declare any conflict or potential conflict of interest relating to NHS Dorset’s commissioning functions at most within 28 days. This could include interests an individual is pursuing. Interests will also be declared on appointment and during relevant discussion in meetings.

All declarations will be entered in the registers and NHS Dorset will ensure that declarations of interest are made and confirmed or updated at least annually.

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Gifts, hospitality and sponsorship

NHS Dorset will maintain and publish a register of gifts, hospitality and sponsorship for all employees, board members, committee and sub-committee members.

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