§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will review the distribution and size of area health authorities, in view of the fact that the metropolitan district of Bury, with a population of 180,000, has its own health authority, but Blackpool and Preston, with populations of 600,000, are part of the Lancashire Health Authority.
§ Mr. EnnalsAlthough this Government have never approved of the National Health Service structure introduced by the previous Administration, we have made it clear that we are not prepared to contemplate a general reorganisation until we have the benefit of the report of the Royal Commission on the National Health Service. We have, however, said that—with certain important qualifications 541W —we are prepared to consider local suggestions for change, and if the regional and area health authorities concerned were to suggest different arrangements in Lancashire these would be considered. The Preston and Blackpool health districts, which form part of the Lancashire Area Health Authority, each has a population of a little over 300,000.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the responsibilities of an area health authority.
§ Mr. MoyleArea health authorities are statutory and corporate bodies. They are the employers of National Health Service staff, and their principal functions are the formulation, within national and regional guidelines, of policies, priorities and strategy for the provision and development of health services within the area; management of the services that are provided and appointment of a proportion of the membership of family practitioner committees.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on whether staff members on area health authorities should be representative of staff interests.
§ Mr. DeakinsHealth authority members are not intended to represent particular interests but to contribute, collectively, their expertise and knowledge to the decisions of their authorities.