Recommendation IBI-9b: Trust/Board Action on Peer Reviews
From Infected Blood Inquiry Final Report, published 20 May 2024.
Recommendation
That NHS Trusts and Health Boards should be required to deliberate on peer review findings and give favourable consideration to implementing the changes identified with a view to ensuring comprehensive, safe, care.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended that trusts and health boards act upon peer review findings. In April 2026, Dr Zubir Ahmed, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, stated that a revised Haemophilia Service Specification requiring providers to act upon peer review findings was undergoing final approvals (Dr Zubir Ahmed, Apr 2026). The Minister added that publication of the final peer review report was expected imminently, alongside a letter asking integrated care boards and trust boards to confirm their commitment to implement findings (Dr Zubir Ahmed, Apr 2026). While the update described action regarding trust boards, health boards were not mentioned (Dr Zubir Ahmed, Apr 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation applies across many organisations. The record reflects central policy activity; adoption in individual organisations may vary.
Government response
Recommendation 9a-9c: Peer review of UK comprehensive care centres has been an essential part of haemophilia services for many years. The triennial audit was replaced in 2019 with a more formal peer review process on a five year cycle. The existing NHS England specialist services for haemophilia and related bleeding disorders (adults and children) service specification has been updated to ensure a contractual requirement for providers to participate in, and act upon peer review findings. NHS England will also write to Integrated Care Boards and Trust Boards to emphasise the valuable role of peer review and ask for their commitment to review and implement findings. The revised service specification is intended to proceed to public consultation in summer 2025.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The passage quoted here is the response's text for the recommendation's limbs together and does not itself state a position on this limb. The status is taken from the summary table of the same document ("Summary of the Government's response"), which lists "Recommendation 9b) (accepted in full by Scottish Government and the Welsh Government)" under "Accepting in principle".
Delivery
Department of Health and Social Care says in progress (16 April 2026)
In relation to recommendation 9, a to c, of the Infected Blood Inquiry, peer review of United Kingdom comprehensive care centres has been an essential part of haemophilia services for many years. The triennial audit was replaced in 2019 with a more formal peer review process on a five-year cycle. The final peer review report is expected to be published imminently and once published, it will be shared with the NHS England Specialised Commissioning Quality Oversight Group for consideration and action. This will be supported by a letter to integrated care boards and trust boards, emphasising the valuable role of peer review and asking for confirmation of their commitment to review and implement the peer review findings. The Haemophilia Service Specification has been updated by the Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group and is making its way through final approvals, having undergone public consultation. The new specification includes a contractual requirement for providers to participate in and act upon peer review findings.
From: Infected Blood Inquiry (written question 124052), Dr Zubir Ahmed
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for recommendation 9, a to c. The same words are recorded on IBI-9a, IBI-9b and IBI-9c.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Department of Health and Social Care
Delivery statement