§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will require community health councils to publish annually a list of achievements they have made on behalf of those they represent; [31742]
(2) what is the annual cost of community health councils; [31744]
50W(3) what assessment his Department has made of the usefulness of community health councils; and what plans he has to introduce changes to their role. [31745]
§ Mr. HoramCommunity health councils were established by Parliament to represent the public interest in the health service in their districts. There are no plans to introduce changes to this statutory role.
Community health councils are required to publish an annual report on the performance of their functions and to ensure that the contents of the report are known to the public.
Expenditure on community health councils in 1995–96 was £17 million. The budget for CHCs for 1996–97 is £21.18 million.
§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to inform the public that they may take complaints about health matters to their community health council. [31743]
§ Mr. HoramComplaints about health services should be directed to the body which provided that service, for example a national health service trust or general practitioner practice.
A public information leaflet was produced by the Department on the new NHS complaints procedure which was introduced from 1 April this year. This mentions the important role community health councils can play in advising members of the public when they wish to complain about NHS services or treatment. Supplies of the leaflet were sent to all NHS outlets.