§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives her Department has taken to further the development of patient participation.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Department is involved in many projects which develop patient participation. These include patient representatives' projects in Brighton and Bristol, involvement of patients in the development of information for patients and regular meetings with the Patients Forum. The Department also supports the work of community health councils which are appointed by Parliament to represent patients' views.
532WWe are conducting research to find out patients' views about the development of the patients charter. We have also met patients' organisations to look at charter standards.
In 1992 the National Health Service Executive issued guidance on "Local Voices" which sets out ways in which the public could be consulted about health services. In April 1994 the National Health Service Executive issued a leaflet "Including Local People" which included examples of good practice that showed how purchasers have involved local people. I wrote in January this year to all district health authorities to ensure that the arrangements were in place to seek and act upon the views of local people. The responses to that letter indicate that most health authorities have made significant progress.
The chief executive of the National Health Service Executive has written to regional directors to ensure that the appropriate action is taken locally and will report to me later this year.
The National Health Service Executive funded the College of Health's research into consumer audit. The College of Health has developed consumer audit as a means of obtaining qualitative feedback from patients about health care. The consumer audit guidelines were published in March 1994.