The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has published the New Homes Quality Code that introduces additional requirements for developers to fill in gaps in current protections and ensure that every aspect of a new home purchase, from when a customer walks into a sales office, through to two years after occupation of the home is covered. This new Code is outlined to protect vulnerable customers, prohibit high pressure selling, and requires any deposits the customer pays to their builder to be protected. The Code will apply to all private customers who reserve their new home from the date their developer transitions to the new arrangements. This Code also sets out ten fundamental principles which registered developers must agree to apply in their business and customer dealings, and the practical steps to consider.

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has published its 2025 Impact Report, outlining its progress in expanding the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC), strengthening consumer protection and supporting developers in meeting required standards. The report states that the Code now covers a majority of new homes across England, Scotland and Wales, increasing access to protections and the New Homes Ombudsman Service, alongside rising consumer engagement and greater use of early dispute resolution. NHQB enhanced transparency by publishing developer satisfaction data and providing guidance for buyers, and was appointed to operate the Shared Ownership Code, extending its oversight across housing tenures. It also completed the first full review of the NHQC, resulting in an updated Code effective from 2 March 2026, which introduces stronger consumer protections, improved cost transparency, safeguards against high-pressure sales and clearer requirements for developers, supported by training and guidance. The Code achieved Chartered Trading Standards Institute accreditation, reinforcing governance standards, and NHQB identified priorities for 2026 including supporting implementation of the updated Code, increasing industry participation, raising awareness of the Ombudsman service and promoting a single mandatory code and ombudsman framework across the UK.

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has published the second edition of the New Homes Quality Code, introducing updates aimed at strengthening consumer protection and improving transparency throughout the homebuying process. The New Homes Quality Code Version 2 (March 2026), which came into effect on 28 February 2026, includes more than 20 changes covering the period from reservation through to after-sales care.  It was reviewed by an independent Code Council following consultation with consumer groups and other stakeholders, as part of NHQB’s commitment to reviewing the code every three years to reflect evolving expectations and emerging issues in the new homes market. The updated requirements apply to customers who reserve a home on or after 2 March 2026, while the previous version of the code (October 2023) continues to apply to homes reserved before that date. Among the changes, the code introduces greater flexibility in relation to pre-completion inspections, allowing customers to carry out their own inspection using NHQB’s pre-completion inspection checklist and requires developers to provide estimated home ownership and maintenance costs for a period of five years following completion. Further provisions address sales practices, including requirements relating to time-limited incentives and a clearer distinction between standard specifications and optional upgrades or extras, while the code also introduces additional transparency requirements where developers refer customers to professional advisers, requiring disclosure of any commissions or incentives received. Other changes relate to build quality, the handling of defects, greater transparency in relation to remedial works and safeguards during the reservation, and purchase process.

NHS Employers has updated its guidance for employers on the use of settlement agreements and confidentiality clauses when resolving a workplace dispute or ending an employment contract. The guidance includes the latest information on legislative requirements, good practice examples on the freedom to speak up, guidance on Mutually Agreed Resignation Schemes, information on board members and the NHS England Fit and Proper Person Test Framework, and links to further resources.

NHS England has announced a phased expansion of Martha’s Rule to all hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments and waiting rooms in England by March 2028. Patients, families and staff will be able to call a dedicated number to request an urgent review if they are concerned that a patient’s condition is deteriorating and their concerns have not been addressed. The expansion follows a pilot in seven NHS trusts, which found that the process could operate alongside existing clinical procedures in A&E without additional clinical staff. Martha’s Rule is already available at 221 acute adult and paediatric inpatient sites.

NHS England has announced plans to launch NHS Online, a virtual hospital service, in 2027 as part of its 10-Year Health Plan to digitise care and reduce waiting times. The service is expected to allow patients referred by their general practitioner to access specialist care remotely via the NHS App, book diagnostics at Community Diagnostic Centres and manage prescriptions and condition advice from home. NHS England expects the service to deliver up to 8.5 million appointments in its first three years, initially focusing on planned treatments with the longest waiting times.

NHS England has published guidance for NHS trusts, foundation trusts and integrated care boards on the approach they must take in the provision and use of physical staff facilities, including toilets, changing, washing and showering facilities, and staff accommodation. The guidance makes clear that NHS organisations should apply relevant principles set out in the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations (services code) now, rather than waiting for a revised version of the EHRC Employment Code of Practice.

The NHS Health Research Authority (HRA), acting on behalf of the UK's Four Nations Contract Leads, has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the model Clinical Trial Agreement and related commercial template agreements. Key proposed modifications include: (1) removal of the definition of 'Affiliate'; (2) adjustment of e-archiving fees to £1,000; (3) inclusion of new clauses addressing home health care providers and compliance with the US anti-kickback statute and (4) revisions to termination clauses. The draft agreement also incorporates updates to align with the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/538, which come into force on 28 April 2026. The consultation closes on 30 November 2025. The Four Nations Contract Leads plan to update and align the model non-commercial agreement with SI 2025/538 before the regulations take effect.

Pensions analysis: The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) has published the outcome of its consultation on the draft NHS Pension Schemes and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (2021 Regulations). The draft regulations seek to equalise survivor pensions and make changes to final pay control by amending the National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulation 1995 (as amended) (1995 Regulations). Bianca Venkata, barrister at Outer Temple Chambers, examines the response and its implications.

Pensions analysis: The NHS Pension Scheme provides that ‘on retirement from pensionable employment’ individuals become entitled to retirement benefits. However, NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the administrator of the scheme, treated ‘pensionable employment’ as extended, on a member leaving employment, to include a period equivalent to the leave untaken as at that date. The Court of Appeal held that this was the correct interpretation of the Regulations. Sadly, the implications of this for the member of the scheme was that she was found to have died in service rather than in retirement and her estate was therefore entitled to less generous benefits. A secondary issue was the application for a restricted costs order on behalf of Mrs Campbell’s husband, who was of limited means and had suffered recent ill health. Because he had a personal interest in the litigation and it had already been the subject of one appeal, an application to limit recoverable costs to zero was not granted. Written by Naomi Ling, barrister at Outer Temple Chambers.

NHS Resolution has announced the implementation of a new clinical negligence claims management agreement for 2024. The agreement has been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, including Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL). Some of the key features of the new agreement include extended limitation periods for certain cases, providing flexibility for claimants and their representatives and emphasis on early disclosure of relevant documentation to help narrow issues and reduce investigation costs.

Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence analysis: On 27 August 2024, a new Clinical Negligence Claims Agreement was signed by NHS Resolution and representatives of claimant medical negligence solicitors and injured patients. The new Agreement replaces the earlier COVID-19 Clinical Negligence Protocol 2020 (COVID-19 Protocol), which enabled claims to continue to be progressed efficiently during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Agreement builds on the earlier Protocol by outlining ways in which parties should work cooperatively. It also acknowledges the importance, to injured patients and bereaved families, of ensuring that lessons are learned from patient safety incidents and that similar events are not repeated. Suzanne Farg, director at Fieldfisher, considers the main points to note from the updated protocol.