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Embargoed until: 00.01 Tuesday 21^st November

Report slams new patient empowerment proposals

 

‘Watchdog or Lapdog?’, a new report launched today by the Association of Community Health Councils (ACHCEW), identifies a range of serious flaws in the government’s new proposals on patient empowerment, which involve abolishing Community Health Councils (CHCs) and establishing instead a range of new bodies. According to the report:

• The new bodies lack independence.
• The system as a whole is fragmented meaning that the new structures will be more expensive and more cumbersome but less effective.
• The new bodies lack statutory powers. The report warns that the powers currently enjoyed by Community Health Councils (CHCs) are likely to disappear, meaning that the new bodies will be little more than ‘focus groups’.

Donna Covey, Director of ACHCEW commented:

‘This report is extremely timely. The National Plan proposals are at a crucial stage. People need to be made aware that they are in danger of losing an effective, independent Watchdog, the Community Health Council, and receiving in its place a cumbersome system that lacks independence.

‘Patient confidence in the NHS has been severely damaged over the past year by a series of medical scandals, including the Ledward case, the Shipman case and events at Alder Hey hospital. These measures will do nothing to restore patient confidence.

‘There is a widespread consensus in the health community that patients need an effective independent Watchdog. Far from delivering that, the National Plan proposals are likely to make the NHS less accountable than ever.’

Copies of the report are available free from the Association of Community Health Councils. Please send an A4 stamped addressed envelope to:

Watchdog or Lapdog

Association of Community Health Councils

Earlsmead House

30 Drayton Park

London, N5 1PB

The text of the report can also be downloaded from: www.achcew.org.uk

-ends-

For further information please contact: Murray Benham on - 020 7609 8138

email: murray.benham@achcew.org.uk

website: www.achcew.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• The ‘shock’ announcement that CHCs were to be abolished was made on the 27^th July as part of the National Plan.

• CHCs were established in 1974 as patient advocates within the NHS. Over the past 26 years they have been at the forefront of ensuring that the patients' voice is heard and their complaints listened to. Most recently, they played a pivotal role in ensuring that Rodney Ledward was exposed, and that the victims of Harold Shipman were supported.

• 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).

• Each year CHCs assist around 30,000 people with complaints.

• A recent report, 'Hidden Volunteers', conducted by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) estimated that CHC members contribute over £7.9million worth of free labour to the NHS.