Modern Slavery Act

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 established a duty for commercial organisations to prepare an annual slavery and human trafficking statement of the steps it has taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains or in any part of its own business.

The Department of Health and Home Office have established that NHS bodies are not considered to be carrying on a business where they are engaged in publicly funded activities and that it was not intended that such activities should be within the scope of the Act. Income earned by NHS providers like the trust from government sources, including clinical commissioning groups and local authorities, is considered to be publicly funded for this purpose so the trust does not meet the threshold for having to provide a statement. Nevertheless the trust undertakes its procurement from suppliers in line with NHS standards and includes standard NHS terms. In relation to its own activities the trust has employment, identity and employee welfare arrangements in place to combat any exploitation of people.

In accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Trust ensures that Modern Slavery i.e. slavery and human trafficking, is not taking place in any part of its own business or any of its supply chains. This is achieved through ensuring that services are procured through approved providers only or tendered through robust procurement processes.