474.Section 139 amends the NHS Act 2006 by inserting a new section 23A which imposes a duty on PCTs to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the quality of health care provided by or for them. This duty replaces the current duty (on PCTs and other English NHS bodies) to improve quality in section 45 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, requiring on-going improvement activity, and is aligned more closely with the duty imposed on English local authorities by section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999.
475.Subsection (2) of the new section 23A provides that in discharging this duty PCTs should have regard to standards set out in statements published by the Secretary of State under section 45.