Tackling modern slavery in NHS procurement: proposed regulations and guidance
- From:
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Published
- 21 November 2024
- Last updated
- 5 June 2025 — See all updates
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Summary
Detail of outcome
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England are seeking to combat modern slavery by drafting the National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations and accompanying guidance, due to come into force in 2026. We are taking steps to ensure that NHS supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standards abuses.
There has been extensive consultation on the draft regulations and draft guidance. We have engaged directly with other departments - including Cabinet Office, Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department of Business and Trade - to ensure alignment with existing policy, legislation and operational activities.
This consultation response report provides a summary of the consultation responses received and our government response. Any changes made are largely technical or superficial amendments to add further clarity to the draft regulations or guidance, including:
- updated references to existing policies
- clarity of the scope and application of the regulations and guidance
- additional information regarding catalogue procurements
- additional information on the approach to ‘reasonable steps’
- additional information in relation to key performance indicators (KPIs), contract management, and audits and intelligence
- reference to the Transparency in supply chains (TISC) guidance
Original consultation
Summary
Government is inviting views on the draft National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024 and accompanying guidance.
This consultation closesran atfrom
to
Consultation description
It is the government’s view that the NHS has a significant role to play in combatting modern slavery through taking steps to ensure that NHS supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standards abuses.
The consultation is seeking views on a wide range of considerations including:
- how the regulations will be implemented
- the impact of the regulations on tackling modern slavery
- how frameworks and dynamic markets (as defined within the Procurement Act 2023) should assess and manage modern slavery risks
- how public bodies want to be supported to implement these new duties
This consultation is open to public bodies, suppliers and interested members of the public.
Documents
National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024 (draft regulations)
PDF, 290 KB, 6 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@dhsc.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Impact assessment of the NHS (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024
PDF, 168 KB, 10 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@dhsc.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Consultation description
It is the government’s view that the NHS has a significant role to play in combatting modern slavery through taking steps to ensure that NHS supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standards abuses.
The consultation is seeking views on a wide range of considerations including:
- how the regulations will be implemented
- the impact of the regulations on tackling modern slavery
- how frameworks and dynamic markets (as defined within the Procurement Act 2023) should assess and manage modern slavery risks
- how public bodies want to be supported to implement these new duties
This consultation is open to public bodies, suppliers and interested members of the public.
Documents
National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024 (draft regulations)
PDF, 290 KB, 6 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
Impact assessment of the NHS (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2024
PDF, 168 KB, 10 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
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Updates to this page
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Added the consultation outcome, 'Tackling modern slavery in NHS procurement: government response'.
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First published.
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Update history
2025-06-05 13:48
Added the consultation outcome, ‘Tackling modern slavery in NHS procurement: government response’.
2024-11-21 11:00
First published.