Mr. Ted Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider providing for the appointment of a representative from the employees in the hospital services, other than doctors, to serve on hospital management committees.
§ Mr. CrossmanRegional hospital boards were advised at the beginning of the National Health Service that employees should not be appointed as members of their employing hospital management committee and only exceptionally of any other. Trades councils and unions, sometimes, including unions representing health service staff, are commonly included among the bodies from which boards seek recommendations for appointments, though the arrangements vary between boards. My noble Friend the Minister of State has reviewed with board chairmen the arrangements for collecting and selecting names, and I am not proposing to give further advice on this subject at present.