HTA special edition e-newsletter - August 2010

Welcome to a special edition of the Human Tissue Authority’s e-newsletter, designed to inform you about a recent government report about arm's-length bodies (stand-alone national organisations sponsored by the Department of Health), and its implications for us and those we regulate.

The e-newsletter is the main way we communicate changes to our regulatory policy and is essential reading if you work in one of the sectors we regulate or your work links to us. We now have more than 6,000 subscribers.

If you have any comments or queries about the issues raised in this e-newsletter, or any ideas for items that you would like to see in future, please contact us at: enquiries@hta.gov.uk

Outcome of the Department of Health’s review of arm’s-length bodies

On 26 July 2010, the Government published ‘Liberating the NHS: Report of the arm’s-length bodies review’, which sets out its proposals for the future of the Department of Health’s arm’s-length bodies, including the Human Tissue Authority.

The review recognises the continuing importance of the work undertaken by the HTA, but makes the case for our functions to be transferred to other bodies. The Government intends to achieve this during the lifetime of the current Parliament and has set an indicative date of April 2013. Until then we will continue to operate business as usual to ensure human tissue is taken or used only with the appropriate consent and is safe when used in patient treatments.

The Department of Health will develop detailed proposals with the HTA and other stakeholders; it is therefore not possible to say precisely what the regulatory landscape will be like after the transfer. Although primary legislation will be required to make these changes, there is no intention to review the substance of the provisions of the Human Tissue Act.

Diana Warwick, the Chair of the HTA, said: “We are pleased that the HTA’s work has been recognised in the report, and that the functions will continue. We are committed to carrying out our functions as usual, being efficient and effective, and ensuring public and professional confidence in the regulation of human tissue. We will work closely with Department of Health on how the proposals can be implemented.”

Implications for our stakeholders

Our aim, as always, is to promote public confidence now and in the future by making sure human tissue is used safely and ethically, and with proper consent. We also protect the interests of those involved in the donation of organs, bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells for transplantation from living people.

Until the new arrangements are up and running, we will continue to regulate through licensing, carry on with our programme of site-visit inspections, and continue to work with licensed establishments to meet standards that ensure public confidence. In the meantime, we will work with the Department of Health and our stakeholders to ensure our regulatory functions are transferred to the most appropriate body and that the best of our practices transfer with them.

Further information

More information will become available as the details of the proposal develop over the coming months. To keep our stakeholders up-to-date, we will be developing a dedicated area of our website where we will publish the latest information about the transition to the new framework and what it will mean for you. If you have immediate questions please send them to: enquiries@hta.gov.uk

The Department of Health’s report is available on its website.

Summary

• The Government recognises the continuing importance of our work
• We will continue to work with establishments to ensure tissue is used safely and ethically and with proper consent, maintaining public confidence
• We will work to ensure our functions transfer seamlessly to the most appropriate bodies
• The indicative date for the transfer of functions is April 2013

Previous e-newsletters

Previous copies of the HTA's e-newsletter are available in the news and events section of our website.

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