§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services who is responsible for the appointment of officials of community health councils.
§ Mr. MoyleRegional health authorities appoint and employ community health council staff after the selection has been
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Yorkshire … 2,054 East Anglia … 1,649 NW Thames … 2,648 NE Thames … 1,788 SE Thames … 2,984 SW Thames … 1,103 Wessex … 2,177 Oxford … 3,332 South Western … 5,225 West Midlands … 6,980 Mersey … 2,221 North Western … 5,822 Boards of Governors … 2 England … 45,205
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for an orthopaedic operation in the National Health Service: (a)in the Leicestershire area, (b)in the Trent Region and (c)nationally.
§ Mr. MoyleInformation on average waiting times is not available. The following table shows the number and percentage of urgent cases waiting for more than one month and of non-urgent cases waiting for more than one year for admission to traumatic and orthopaedic departments on 31st March 1977.
made by the councils. Such staff are accountable to the community health council and work under its direction.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will redefine the functions of community health councils.
§ Mr. MoyleCommunity health councils are independent statutory bodies whose functions are laid down in legislation in broad terms. This has enabled them to carry out their task of representing the public interest in the NHS flexibility in response to local circumstances. I see no need at present to consider a fresh definition of their functions though I will keep the matter under review.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will allow community health councils not only to have a voice at the health authority meetings, but also allow their representative the right to vote.
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§ Mr. MoyleNo. Community health councils and health authorities exist to discharge quite separate functions, and this is reflected in the fact that members of community health councils are statutorily precluded from being simultaneously members of health authorities.
The right to vote at health authority meetings arises from membership of the authority; in turn, the members of a health authority are collectively accountable for the discharge of the statutory functions of that authority.