Clause 19 - The commission for patient and public involvement in health
NHS Reform & Health Care Professions Bill
4:15 pm
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon, Liberal Democrat)
I shall be brief because some of us harbour hopes of discussing later clauses.
The purpose of the 2001 Act was to place on NHS bodies a duty to ensure adequate public involvement. It seems appropriate that that duty should be monitored, as other things in the health service are. It is also reasonable to say that the commission, which is set up with that duty in mind, is best placed to carry out the monitoring of the requirement to involve and consult patients and public on
''(a) the planning of the provision of those services,
(b) the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and
(c) decisions to be made by that body affecting the operation of those services.''
As happened with CHCs, there is a danger that people in the health service will think that that covers the public involvement element and that the issue need no longer concern them. The Under-Secretary will probably state with as much passion as she has so far demonstrated that that is not the intention. The amendment would serve her purpose well and I hope that she considers it satisfactory.
Amendment No. 222 inserts the Secretary of State into the list of bodies to whom the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement might report concerns about the safety and welfare of patients, if they are not satisfied about the way in which matters are being dealt with. It is reasonable that a line of report to the Secretary of State should exist. I understand the need for the commission to maintain independence, but we must be concerned about the safety and welfare of patients.
Amendment No. 223 would broaden the groups of bodies, or persons, who should provide the commission with information so as to include primary care practitioners and participants in local pharmaceutical services, pilot schemes and so on. Those people are referred to in clause 16(1)(d) and (e), and subsection (2). The amendment would also include people who own or control premises where services are provided. If the commission seeks information under its NHS duties, it is reasonable that everyone who will provide NHS services should be covered by provisions under the Bill.
Those are reasonable amendments and we ask the Under-Secretary to accept the lead amendment or give a reassurance that NHS bodies will be adequately monitored.