Health and Social Care Bill

102: Clause 20, page 17, line 14, at end insert— ““(2) In discharging its duty under this section the Board shall establish an independent panel to formulate minimum standards of— (a) financial, (b) performance, and (c) asset, management information to be included in the audited accounts for all bodies to which this subsection applies. (3) Subsection (2) applies to all bodies commissioning or providing NHS services under annual contracts of at least £500,000. (4) The independent panel shall be established— (a) within 6 months of this Act receiving Royal Assent, and (b) jointly with Monitor on a basis agreed by the National Audit Office. (5) The standards formulated by the panel shall be kept under review by the Board and Monitor and, in doing so, they will pay particular regard to the extent to which the standards have ensured levels of public accountability similar to those required of bodies providing comparable services.””