Brown unveils constitution for Britain’s health service

BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday signalled his intention to press ahead with a constitution for the National Health Service (NHS) in its 60th year.

The constitution — first floated under Tony Blair — will set out for the first time the rights and responsibilities linked to entitlement to NHS care, said the Prime Minister.

In a new year message to NHS staff, he said it would form part of a package of “reform and change” which will secure the future of Britain’s tax-funded state healthcare service for another 60 years.