(1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to give to each Strategic Health Authority and Health Authority, to each Special Health Authority in England and Wales and to each Health Board in Scotland such directions . . . as appear to him necessary for the purpose of securing that, as respects each hospital . . . which that Strategic Health Authority, Health Authority, Special Health Authority or Board manage —
(a) such arrangements are made for dealing with complaints made by or on behalf of persons who are or have been patients at that hospital; and
(b) such steps are taken for publicising the arrangements so made,
as (in each case) are specified or described in the directions.
(1A) It shall also be the duty of the Secretary of State to give to each NHS trust which manages a hospital such directions as appear necessary for the purpose of securing that, as respects each hospital . . . which that NHS trust manages —
(a) such arrangements are made for dealing with complaints made by or on behalf of persons who are or have been patients at that hospital; and
(b) such steps are taken for publicising the arrangements so made,
as (in each case) are specified or described in the directions.
(1B) It shall also be the duty of the Secretary of State to give to each Primary Care Trust and Local Health Board which manages a hospital such directions as appear necessary for the purpose of securing that, as respects each hospital which that Primary Care Trust or Local Health Board manages—
(a) such arrangements are made for dealing with complaints made by or on behalf of persons who are or have been patients at that hospital; and
(b) such steps are taken for publicising the arrangements so made,
as (in each case) are specified or described in the directions.
(1C) In this section, “ directions ” means—
(a) in relation to England and Wales, directions under section 17 of the National Health Service Act 1977,
(b) in relation to Scotland, directions under section 2(5) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.
(2) No right of appeal, reference or review conferred under this section shall preclude an investigation under the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 in respect of any matter.
(3) In this section—
(a) in its application to England and Wales, expressions which are also used in the said Act of 1977 have the same meanings as in that Act;
(b) in its application to Scotland, expressions which are also used in the said Act of 1978 have the same meanings as in that Act.