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National
patients’ group says Government’s health plans will undermine NHS
In reaction to the
Government’s response to the The Health Committee's Report on Patient
and Public Involvement (PPI) in the NHS,
a new national group representing statutory patients’ organisations is
today challenging Government plans to re-organise the way the NHS
listens to the public and claims there is a danger that patients’
interests and patient care will be put at risk.
The newly elected National Association of Patients’ Forum’s Steering
Group (NASG),
is concerned that the Government is scrapping the ‘patient
involvement’ Forums after only three and a half years, without any
realistic action to replace them. The NASG also asserts that short
deadlines and lack of realistic action by the Department of Health will
create disastrous gaps between Forums closing and new Local Involvement
Networks (LINks) starting work. The NASG fears the delay will leave
patients and public without an effective, independent and powerful voice
just as the NHS is facing massive service cuts across the country.
Malcolm Alexander, Chair of the NASG, said:
“
The Government’s response to the Health Committee’s Report on PPI,
confirms they lack insight and know how to develop effective monitoring
of health and social care. Their plans for LINks are vague, poorly
thought out and open to domination by powerful voluntary sector
providers with a range of conflicts of interest. The DH confirms it
intends LINks to have no significant statutory powers and grossly
inadequate rights of entry to view health and social care delivery.
The power to make 'recommendations and get a response’ to be
conferred on LINks is virtually worthless in a system increasingly
dominated by commercial providers. The DH skate over their failure to
ensure an effective transition between Forums and LINks.
LINks will need real powers to influence change. What is being
offered by the DH is of little use to patients and the public
struggling to develop effective local health services”.
“We demand the Government changes its mind on re-organising patient
representation. Unless we stop the Government now, legislation to
abolish Patients’ Forums and create LINks will go through Parliament
and gain Royal Assent in November 2007”.
“Forums are being closed on
1st April 2008
by the Government, yet planning is still very basic, budgets haven’t
been worked out and the proposed system for holding local NHS hospital
Trusts and PCTs to account is vague and weak.”
“If it doesn’t get this right, we predict that many dedicated
volunteers who make up the current successful system of patient
involvement will walk away. This would be a huge and damaging loss to
local accountability in the health service, as they would take with them
more than three years’ knowledge and experience of their local health
services. The Government claims it wishes to retain the expertise of
Forum members, yet it is treating them with contempt.”
“We demand that the Government consults directly with Forums and the
NASG and involves the NASG in their planning for any changes to the
public involvement system. We need assurances for Patients’ Forums
that transition to a new system will not result in the NHS becoming
effectively unaccountable to patients and the public.”
For further information please contact:
Malcolm Alexander, Chair, National Association Steering Group
O7817505193 or 0208 809 6551
(15/7/07)
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