§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they believe that national Casualty Watch surveys are valuable; and, if so, which body or bodies are expected to carry out such surveys once community health councils have been abolished. [HL4664]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Government give careful consideration to Casualty Watch surveys but they need to be considered alongside other evidence to give a full picture of the patient experience of the National Health Service.
Patient surveys and reports from patients forums will in the future provide this evidence locally. Nationally the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health will be able to ask patients forums across the country to carry out Casualty Watch type activity. This activity will not be limited to looking at accident and emergency departments; rather it will be able to review any issue that is of 15WA national concern following a review of patients forums annual activities. These reviews will therefore reflect the matters that are important to patients and will not be limited to single issues determined by the centre. The commission will be able to report its findings to the Secretary of State for Health and any other body it deems appropriate.