§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if community health councils will retain the right to attend health authority or hospital trust meetings, including the confidential parts of such meetings after 1 April; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyCommunity health council representatives will have the right to attend district health authority and NHS trust board meetings that are open to the public. As previously, it remains for a health authority to decide which of their discussions that are closed to the general public the community health council representative may attend. NHS trust boards will be free to extend similar invitations to their local community health council if they wish.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards he has considered to ensure that the regional health authority role in funding community health councils and as the employer of community health council staff does not undermine the independence and impartiality of community health councils.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySuch safeguards have not proved necessary in the 16 years that community health councils have existed. We have no evidence to suggest they are necessary now.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to improve the community health council role of monitoring quality assurance in all health service provision; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Government have put quality at the top of the agenda for all National Health Service staff and managers. Health authorities have been urged to test the quality of their services through consumer surveys and by other means. The views of community health councils will be important and if a particular community health council has special expertise there is no reason why its health authority should not commission it to undertake such surveys.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if community health council representatives will have a right to speak at health authority or hospital trust meetings after 1 April.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Government's primary objective is that district health authorities should secure full, effective and early consultation with community health councils; the manner in which they do so is largely 477W for the authority's decision. National Health Service trust boards will decide for themselves whether to involve their community health councils in meetings.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the level of his Department's financial support for the work of the Association of Community Health Councils, for each of the last five years; and what the level of support will be in the next financial year.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department has provided funding as follows:
Year Grant(£) 1986–87 40,000 1987–88 50,000 1988–89 50,000 1989–90 50,000 1990–91 50,000 The level of funding for 1991–92 has yet to be decided.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will directly grant aid to community health councils.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThere are no plans to alter the funding arrangements of community health councils. Each CHC will continue to be funded by the regional health authority which covers its district.