§ Sir Ralph HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what instructions he gives to health trusts regarding visits to(a) hospitals and (b) other medical centres, with special reference to when the closure of the hospital or centre is being considered; [14673]
(2) what steps he proposes to take (a) to make the proceedings of health trusts more accessible to members of the public and (b) to ensure better consultation about the work of health trusts. [14826]
§ Mr. HoramVisits to trust premises are a matter for local management. Health authorities are however required to consult local interests over any proposal substantially to change services.
The code of practice on openness states:
NHS trusts must hold at least one public meeting a year. An agenda, papers, the accounts and the annual report must be publicly available at least seven days in advance of the meeting. Provision must be made for questions and comments to be put by the public. Public meetings must be held in readily accessible venues and at times when the public are able to attend. Providing the public with access to more frequent general meetings or board meetings is good practice already followed by an increasing number of trusts.