What arrangements has your organisation put in place for ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998?
The basic principles of human rights as set out in the Human Rights Act 1998 – of promoting safety, personal dignity, privacy, respect and participation in decision making – are integral to the NHS, its work and its day-to-day management. The Act requires public bodies to act in a way that is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, and makes it unlawful for a public body to breach a Convention right. Apart from these legal requirements, a human rights framework can also be a helpful management tool as it places the individual at the heart of the service, taking their needs and rights into account, and thereby can help to improve patient experience and service delivery. Hence, NHS Boards need to have confidence that appropriate arrangements are in place to manage human rights issues at all levels of the organisation and to ensure that Board members and all staff appreciate how human rights requirements affect their work. Boards should review their arrangements for manag