Reorganisation due diligence
Vale of Leven Inquiry · The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · Issued 24 November 2014 · Addressed to: NHS Health Boards (Scotland)
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
In any major structural reorganisation in the NHS in Scotland a due diligence process including risk assessment, should be undertaken by the Board or Boards responsible.
Vale of Leven Inquiry, The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · 24 Nov 2014 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Scottish Government's response confirmed that clinical and care governance frameworks, including due diligence and risk assessment processes, should be undertaken during any major structural reorganisation. The 'Governance for Quality Healthcare in Scotland' agreement provides the framework for governance during organisational change.
- The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 required formal governance arrangements for the integration of health and social care, including risk assessment and due diligence processes for the transfer of functions to Integration Authorities.
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland provides external assurance of governance arrangements, with powers to inspect and report on the quality of care during and after structural changes.
Response — verbatim from government
●Scottish Government
Section 2.2 of the Scottish Government's response describes the 'Governance for Quality Healthcare in Scotland - an Agreement' and a 'clinical and care governance framework for integrated health and social care services' to ensure good governance arrangements underpin service delivery. These frameworks provide an overarching national structure for how NHS boards are structured and governed. However, the text does not explicitly state that a due diligence process, including risk assessment, is mandated for major structural reorganisations in the NHS.
Scottish Government · 18 Jun 2015 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 18 Jun 2015 · Scottish Government Scottish Government response noted that due diligence requirements for NHS reorganisations are addressed through existing governance frameworks and the Code of Corporate Governance for NHS Scotland. View source → Reasonable Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.