ACHCEW - 1998/99 in ACHCEW

3^rd Sept 2001

For immediate release

Community Health Councils (CHCs) question the consultation process on the new patients' Voice

Commenting on today's launch of a 'discussion document' on the future of patient representation in the NHS, Donna Covey, Director of the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales, said:

'This 'discussion document' will represent the sole opportunity for those concerned with patients rights to have an input into decisions about the future of patient representation and public involvement within the NHS. We are disappointed to find that this process falls far short of a full scale consultation. The government's own guidelines on consultation, stipulate that 12 weeks should be 'the standard minimum period for a consultation.' On an issue as crucial as the future of patient and public representation in the NHS we would've hoped that the government would see fit to conduct a full and open public consultation.

'We will be consulting our members on the government's proposals, however our initial concerns about the proposed new structures would focus on:

the lack of any lay representation above the level of Patient's Forums. The proposed structure would remove the lay representation that currently exists at local and national level in the form of CHCs and their national body, the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales.
the lack of integration in the new system. At present members of the public have a one-stop shop to which they can take their complaints and concerns, in the knowledge that they will receive independent advice and that their concerns will be fed into wider scrutiny of the local NHS. The proposed new structure consists of a complex range of new bodies with little indication of whom patients should approach or how those organisations work together.

'It is our hope that the discussion process will prove to be a meaningful exercise. The Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales (ACHCEW) remains committed to arguing for a strong, independent, effective voice for patients, that builds on the strengths of Community Health Councils.'

-Ends-

For further information please contact: Murray Benham at ACHCEW

on - 020 7609 8138

email: murray.benham@achcew.org.uk

website: www.achcew.org.uk

Notes to Editors

ACHCEW is responsible for producing a number of influential reports, including Nationwide Casualty Watch, which provides the only accurate information on the length of patient waits in A&E departments
There are 700 staff in Community Health Councils across the country all of whom face an uncertain future. CHCs also have over 5,000 volunteer members who contribute freely of their time to act as unpaid watchdogs for NHS patients.
There are 204 CHCs in England and Wales. Similar bodies exist in Scotland (Local Health Councils) & Northern Ireland (Health and Social Services Councils). The Welsh assembly has recently announced its intention of retaining and strengthening CHCs and the Scottish Assembly has announced its intention to retain Local Health Councils.
Each year CHCs assist around 30,000 people with complaints.