HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc585-6W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require chief executives of putative NHS foundation hospital trusts to publish details of their consultations with the public on the proposal for foundation hospitals together with an assessment of the results. [138521]

Mr. Hutton

Before authorising a national health service foundation trust, the Independent Regulator must be satisfied that consultation has taken place and has been satisfactory. Documentation submitted to the Independent Regulator by applicants must therefore show evidence of consultation with key stakeholders. This document will be public.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with putative NHS foundation trusts concerning the means whereby the token sum required for people to become members might be collected. [138557]

Mr. Hutton

The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill was amended in House of Lords Committee to remove the requirement on prospective members of national health service foundation trusts to commit to paying a sum of up to a pound.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether doctors who have been struck off the medical register are eligible for election to the board of governors of a foundation trust. [138558]

Mr. Hutton

Subject to Parliament, the legislation on national health service foundation trusts will allow a NHS foundation trust's constitution to make further provision as to the circumstances in which a person may not become or continue as a member of the Board of Governors. It will be up to each NHS foundation trust to decide whether to include in their constitution a provision that doctors who have been struck off the medical register are not eligible to sit on the Board of Governors.

If a NHS foundation trust's constitution did not include any such provision, then a doctor who had been struck off the medical register would be eligible to sit on the Board of Governors if elected by any of the public, patient or staff constituencies, provided that they were otherwise eligible to stand.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 4 November 2003,Official Report, column 585W, on foundation hospitals, if he will place in the Library copies of the material produced by putative NHS foundation hospital trusts which seek public support for such status. [137591]

Mr. Hutton

Copies of the documents requested will be placed in the Library shortly.