What is the timescale for implementation?
The Health Act 2009 created the duty for all providers of NHS services (including those in the independent and voluntary sector) to produce a Quality Account. The regulations applying to the first year of Quality Accounts come into effect on April 1st 2010 and state who is exempted in the first year. All providers who provide NHS acute, mental health, learning disability and ambulance healthcare services are required to prepare a Quality Account in respect of the financial year 2009/10. The deadline for submission of this Quality Account is 30th June 2010. The independent sector and voluntary sector providers who provide acute, mental health and ambulance healthcare services for the NHS, such as independent treatment centres, will also be required to produce a Quality Account in June 2010. Primary and community care providers, including for instance General Practitioners and dentists will be brought into the Quality Accounts regimen by way of further regulations. Depending upon the out
