§ 32. Mr. Deanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now establish a commissioner to investigate complaints by both staff and patients in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. CrossmanI have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 16th April.—[Vol. 781, c. 272.]
§ Mr. DeanWill the right hon. Gentleman press ahead as fast as possible and ensure that when a commissioner is set up he will be entirely independent of Ministers?
§ Mr. CrossmanI made it clear earlier that I am not pressing ahead as fast as possible with this because I first want to 9 establish the hospital advisory service under its director and see how far that meets one side of the problem, which is the need for somewhere to which members of the staff of the services can go with their complaints without fear of victimisation. I want to get that established. Both these proposals require very careful examination in view of the professional interest of doctors and nurses that their freedom should not be violated. I promise to consult them on both aspects.
§ Mr. WhitakerWould my right hon. Friend agree that there is need for a health ombudsman quite distinct from an inspectorate? Could he give a date for an announcement on this subject, in view of the fact that Scotland has had such a successful system operating in the mental health scheme for many years?
§ Mr. CrossmanWe had this system, of course, in our mental health service for a good many years, but we got rid of it some time ago. We want to put in its place something better. I cannot give my hon. Friend a date because I want to get the hospital advisory service going and then to see how the commissioner fits in. I myself am convinced that there is a substantial case for a public health commissioner, but such an office should not be confused in its functions with the hospital advisory service and its inspectorate.