National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020
The National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Act 2020 (the Act) amends the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 to provide the Welsh Ministers with a regulation-making power to establish an ‘Existing Liabilities Scheme’ (ELS). The purpose of that scheme is to indemnify GPs in Wales for historic clinical negligence claims relating to care given before 1 April 2019. The ELS is intended to complement the Future Liabilities Scheme which provides cover for claims incurred after 1 April 2019.
The Explanatory Notes to the Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force:
The Act came into force on 27 September 2020, which was the day after it received Royal Assent, in accordance with section 2.
Subordinate legislation made under the Act:
No subordinate legislation has been made under this Act.
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd:
The Bill was introduced by Vaughan Gething MS, (the then) Minister for Health and Social Services on 14 October 2019, and passed by Senedd Cymru (the then National Assembly for Wales) on 14 January 2020.
More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd’s website, including a record of the passage of the Bill through the Senedd (the then National Assembly for Wales) and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as revised after Stage 2).
The Act received Royal Assent on 26 February 2020.
Related articles and information:
Senedd Research produced a Bill Summary in January 2020, which amongst other matters explains the requirements for GPs to have indemnity cover.