§ 29. Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to make national health service trusts more accountable to the communities they serve.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNHS trusts are accountable, through the. NHS executive, to me and to Parliament. Their directors are required, as a condition of appointment, to subscribe to codes of conduct and accountability; and through the establishment of the Health Appointments Advisory Committee my right hon. Friend has made the process of appointment of non-executives more open. Trusts are required to publish an annual business plan, and an annual report and audited accounts which are presented to a public meeting. I will shortly be issuing a code of practice on openness, setting out the public's right to information, which has recently been the subject of wide consultation with interested parties.