§ Mr. HurstTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's consultations regarding community health councils. [159367]
§ Ms StuartChapter 10 of the NHS Plan proposed that community health councils be abolished and new structures set in place to increase patient and public empowerment across all sectors of the health service. Following the launch of the NHS Plan in July 2001 a public undertaking was given to involve national and local stakeholder groups in developing the detail of the new structures. A series of seminars was held in November and December 2001 and focused on the various elements of the new arrangements and involved key representative groups. Since then the proposal for abolition of CHCs and the development of the new structures have been subject to debate through the introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill. Key stakeholder groups have continued to be involved in the development of the new arrangements.