The Health and Social Care Bill brings forward the  changes neccesary to implement the Government's Health and Social Care Reforms, as set out in the White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. 

Read this useful guide to how a Bill becomes the law.

Following Royal Assent, the Health and Social Care Bill became at Act of Parliament in March 2012

Read about the College's work on the reforms 

Read the College's position statement on the Bill

The College main concerns regarding the Bill were around:

• a reduction rather than an increase in health inequalities;
• that integrated care is safeguarded over competition;
• that competition is only used in the NHS where it can be shown to clearly benefit patients;
• parity of esteem between mental health and physical health;
• continuation of a system of effective postgraduate medical education and training;
• meaningful involvement of service users and carers in needs assessment and commissioning processes; and
• flexibility for clinicians to undertake work for the benefit of the wider NHS.