NHS England must exercise its functions with a view to securing continuous improvement in the quality of services provided to individuals for or in connection with—
the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness, or
the protection or improvement of public health.
In discharging its duty under subsection (1), NHS England must, in particular, act with a view to securing continuous improvement in the outcomes that are achieved from the provision of the services.
The outcomes relevant for the purposes of subsection (2) include, in particular, outcomes which show—
the effectiveness of the services,
the safety of the services, and
the quality of the experience undergone by patients.
In discharging its duty under subsection (1), NHS England must have regard to—
any document published by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section, and
the quality standards prepared by NICE under section 234 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.