§ 54. Mr. Peytonasked the Minister of Health if he will review the procedure on the hearing of appeals from decisions of regional hospital boards by regional appeals committees.
§ Mr. TurtonAny such review would be a matter in the first place for the General Whitley Council. I would refer my hon. Friend to the recommendation in paragraph 222 of the Report of the Guillebaud Committee which is under consideration and which, if implemented, will remove the difficulties my hon. Friend has in mind.
§ Mr. PeytonDoes my right hon. Friend realise that this is a matter of dispute of some two years' standing whereby a decision is made by the regional hospitals board and on appeal the regional hospital board is entirely disregarded and that it is only a matter of permission that it can even give evidence? This has already caused considerable discontent to regional hospital boards all over the country. Will my right hon. Friend look at this question as a matter of urgency, because these boards are trying to make the Service work?
§ Mr. TurtonI appreciate the difficulty; but it must be remembered that the adoption of the recommendation that the detailed control over staffing establishments should be relaxed as far as and as fast as possible would remove the difficulty.