§ Mr. TrendTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways openness and accountability are promoted An her Department and the services for which she is responsible.
443W
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe information is as follows:
National Health Service
- accountability through Ministers to Parliament.
- annual reports and audited accounts from health authorities and national health service trusts.
- health authority meetings open to the public.
- NHS trusts' annual public meetings.
- summary business plans by NHS trusts.
- reports by local directors of public health on health needs and services.
- clear patients' rights and national and local standards under the patients charter, and reports on results.
- power to patients through general practitioner fundholders to ensure more accountability of service providers.
- annual plans and reports by GP fundholders.
- first ever performance ("league") tables giving comparative information for the public on their hospitals and ambulance services.
- codes of conduct and accountability for the members of NHS bodies.
- audit and remuneration committees to strengthen the role of non-executive members of NHS bodies.
- registers of members' interests.
- external, independent scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
- statutory obligations to consult on substantial changes to services.
- consultation documents on major proposals, with background and options.
- statutory rights for community health councils to be consulted on substantial changes to services and to obtain information.
- published strategies and plans for the purchase of health services for local people.
- public contracts between the purchasers and providers of health services, including the quantity and quality of services to be provided.
- statutory rights of access to personal health information.
- published information on complaints.
Further plans include a code of practice on openness in the NHS, now out for consultation, setting out the public's right to information except in clearly defined circumstances; an accountability framework for GP fundholders; new procedures for appointments to NHS bodies, including advertisements, independent sifting panels and published criteria; a response to the Wilson review on NHS complaints; and a new and expanded patients charter.
Social services
444W
- statutory obligation on local authorities to publish information on children's services
- statutory obligation on local authorities to publish community care plans and reviews of day care for children
- local inspection units with a lay element, and published reports
- national framework for local community care charter issued
- statutory rights of access to social work records
- statutory requirement for complaints procedures
- Social Services Inspectorate's national programme covering all local authorities in England, with reports published and accessible to the public
Department of Health
- accountability of Ministers to Parliament
- a comprehensive overview of priorities, progress, expenditure and activity in the annual departmental report
- National health service annual report, containing more information on developments and performance
- detailed financial information contained in estimates and appropriation accounts, scrutinised by the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee
- annual report from the social services inspectorate on its activities and programme
- annual report from the chief medical officer on the state of the public health
- 5,649 replies to parliamentary questions in 1993–94
- over 84,000 letters dealt with in 1993, including more than 25,000 for ministerial reply
- a commitment to make information available except in clearly defined circumstances under the code of practice on access to Government information
- detailed quarterly, six-monthly and annual statistical information in bulletins and reports, including a comprehensive annual compendium on health and personal social services in England
- accountability to select committees, including the Select Committee on Health, the Public Accounts Committee and the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
- framework documents and published reports from the Medicines Control Agency, the Medical Devices Agency, the NHS Estates agency and the NHS Pensions agency; and reports and accounts from the youth treatment service
- statements from all agencies adopting citizens charter principles
- a charter for scheme members being produced by the NHS Pensions agency
- NHS Estates agency accreditation for British standard 5750 on quality assurance and customer service