The draft Health Services (Provider Selection Regime) (Wales) Regulations 2024 (‘the draft Regulations’) have today been laid before Senedd Cymru.
Subject to Senedd approval in the autumn, the draft Regulations introduce a new regime for the procurement of health services on behalf of the NHS in Wales as provided for by the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024 (‘the HSP Act’) which received Royal Assent on 5 February.
The draft Regulations are accompanied by draft Statutory Guidance which sets out the operational principles that ‘relevant authorities’, as defined in section 10A(9) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (as inserted by the HSP Act), need to follow when procuring health services on behalf of the NHS in Wales.
The draft Statutory Guidance is being made available at the same time as the laying of the draft Regulations to give stakeholders the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the proposed changes to health service procurement in Wales.
This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.