FACTBOX - NHS constitution for England

LONDON (Reuters) - The government published a draft constitution for the National Health Service on Monday.

Here are the main points:

- The constitution is a declarative document, rather than a legalistic one, aiming to clarify existing patient entitlements and also spell out patients' responsibilities.

- Future governments will be required to renew the constitution every 10 years.

- All NHS organisations and providers will have a legal duty to take account of the constitution in decisions they make.

- Key rights for patients include:

- the right to receive NHS services free of charge (apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament, including prescription, dental and eye test charges)

- the right to drugs and treatments recommended by the clinical effectiveness watchdog NICE.

- the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs to be made rationally following proper consideration of the evidence.