The Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Establishment) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Establishment) (Amendment) Order 2025 amends the 2006 establishment order.
It removes outdated definitions, simplifies the trust's stated functions to providing health service goods and services, increases the number of non-executive directors to six, and removes the operational date specification.
The changes aim to streamline the trust's governance and operations while conforming to current NHS standards.
The order took effect on July 1, 2025.
Arguments For
Streamlining the governance and operational framework of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust by removing outdated provisions.
Enhancing clarity and efficiency in the Trust's operations by updating its functions and director composition.
Ensuring the legal framework for the Trust remains current and relevant to its ongoing activities.
Reflecting changes in the healthcare landscape and best practices in NHS Trust governance.
Arguments Against
Potential for unforeseen consequences from amending the establishment order, especially in relation to the removal of definitions and the alteration of the trust's functions.
The impact of changing the number of non-executive directors on decision-making processes and the overall effectiveness of the trust's board.
Lack of extensive impact assessment could overlook potential implications for stakeholders, including patients and staff.
The removal of specifics regarding the trust's operational date may create ambiguities or complicate future administrative processes.
- Citation, commencement, interpretation and extent (1) This Order may be cited as the Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Establishment) (Amendment) Order 2025 and comes into force on 1st July 2025. (2) In this Order, “the Establishment Order” means the Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 2006. (3) This Order extends to England and Wales.
This section provides the order's title, effective date (July 1, 2025), and defines "the Establishment Order" as the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (Establishment) Order 2006.
The section also clarifies that the order applies to England and Wales.
- Amendment of interpretation provision For article 1(2) of the Establishment Order (citation, commencement and interpretation), omit the definitions of “the Act”, “community health services” and “operational date”.
This section amends the original Establishment Order.
It removes the definitions of “the Act”, “community health services”, and “operational date" from Article 1(2), indicating these definitions are no longer necessary.
- Amendment to nature and functions of the trust For article 3 of the Establishment Order (nature and functions of the trust), substitute— “3. The trust’s functions are to provide goods and services for the purposes of the health service.”
This section replaces Article 3 of the Establishment Order.
It simplifies the trust's functions to providing goods and services for the purposes of the health service, removing more specific references to ambulance services and community health services.
- Amendment of requirements relating to directors For article 4 of the Establishment Order (directors of the trust), substitute— “4. The trust must have, in addition to the chairman, 6 non-executive directors and 5 executive directors.”
This section updates Article 4 of the Establishment Order.
It increases the number of non-executive directors required on the trust board from five to six, while maintaining the number of executive directors at five.
- Removal of specification of operational date For article 5 of the Establishment Order (operational date and accounting date of the trust) and the heading to that article, substitute— “Accounting date of the trust
- The accounting date of the trust is 31st March.”
This section modifies Article 5 of the Establishment Order.
It removes the specification of the operational date, leaving only the accounting date (March 31st) which simplifies administrative aspects.
The heading is also updated to reflect this change.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Karin Smyth Minister of State Department of Health and Social Care 17th June 2025
This section shows the order's signature and date of signing by the Minister of State from the Department of Health and Social Care, indicating official approval and authorization.
Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Order) This Order amends the Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 2006 (“the Establishment Order”), which established the Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (“the trust”). Article 2 amends article 1 of the Establishment Order to remove definitions which are no longer needed as they are of no on-going relevance. Article 3 sets out the functions of the trust as being to provide goods and services for the purposes of the health service. It removes the reference to ambulance and associated transport and other services including community health services. Article 4 increases the number of non-executive directors in addition to the chairman, that the trust must have from 5 to 6. Article 5 omits the specification of the trust's “operational date” as it is of no on-going relevance. A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
The explanatory note summarizes the changes made by the order.
It clarifies that this note is for information only and does not form part of the legally binding order.
The note details each article's changes, reiterating that several definitions and the operational date are no longer considered relevant to the trust's current activities.
Finally, it notes the absence of a full impact assessment due to the belief that the order will not significantly impact private, voluntary, or public sectors.