05 Jan 2001
In anticipation of the second reading of Health and Social Care Bill the NHS Confederation and the Local Government Association today welcomed the Government's proposals for local authorities to be given powers to scrutinise local NHS services and launched a joint discussion paper on the issue of scrutiny.
In a joint letter Alan Milburn, Secretary of State for Health, Dianne Jeffrey (Chair of The NHS Confederation) and Sir Jeremy Beecham (Chair of the LGA) stated that they believe the proposals are an important contribution to a more patient centred and locally accountable NHS.
`The LGA and the Confederation have already been working together on the issue of scrutiny and are both committed to ensuring that it is a constructive and informed dialogue between local government and the NHS underpinned by partnership working. Overview and scrutiny will not work if it becomes an adversarial process.
`It is important that scrutiny arrangements are not confined to a single model. Different local circumstances, the range of different health organisations and potential future reorganisations make it sensible for there to be some flexibility to suit local circumstances.
`We therefore hope that there will be an opportunity for district councils to be involved in the scrutiny process as appropriate which does not seem to be the case as the Bill currently stands', they said.
The two organisations have made it clear they wish to work together in positive and constructive dialogue with the Department of Health on the content of guidance or regulations which will flesh out the detail of this new function.
The Confederation and the LGA also launched a joint discussion document entitled "Scrutiny and the new NHS". The document is being circulated to all local authorities, health authorities and NHS trusts. It encourages a positive approach to overview and scrutiny amongst NHS organisations and local authorities and is intended to promote discussion of the issues at local level.
End
1) The joint letter to Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, is below.
2) The NHS Confederation is uniquely placed to be the voice of NHS management, as the only membership body for all NHS organisations. Our members include more than 95% of NHS trusts and health authorities in England and Wales; primary care groups; health boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland. The new English primary care trusts have joined.
3) The LGA represents all local authorities in England and Wales as well as police authorities (as the Association of Police Authorities), fire authorities and passenger transport authorities. As such, the LGA provides the national voice for local communities in England and Wales; its members represent over 50m people, employ more than 2m staff and spend over £65bn on local services.
Rt. Hon. Alan Milburn MP
Secretary of State for Health
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
5 January 2001
Dear Mr Milburn,
Health and Social Care Bill -Overview and Scrutiny of the NHS by local authorities
With the second reading of the Health and Social Care Bill due shortly, we are writing on behalf of the Local Government Association and The NHS Confederation to express our support for the proposals in the Bill for local government to be given powers for the oversight and scrutiny of the NHS.
The proposals are an important contribution to a more patient centred and locally accountable NHS.
We believe that it is important that scrutiny arrangements are not confined to a single model. Different local circumstances, the range of different health organisations and potential future reorganisations make it sensible for there to be some flexibility to suit local circumstances.
We do, therefore, hope that there will be an opportunity for district councils to be involved in the scrutiny process as appropriate which does not seem to be the case as the Bill currently stands.
The LGA and the Confederation have already been working together on the issue of scrutiny and are both committed to ensuring that it is a constructive and informed dialogue between local government and the NHS underpinned by partnership working. Overview and scrutiny will not work if it becomes adversarial.
We also believe that overview and scrutiny will add most value if takes the opportunity to look not simply at the minutiae of NHS organisations but at provision across health, and indeed local government, services.
It is important that this new process relates effectively to the other initiatives to improve patient and public involvement outlined in the NHS Plan and also that it fits in with the performance framework in both health and local government.
Finally, if scrutiny is to be effective it must be properly informed and resourced.
Our two organisations have made it clear that we are extremely keen to engage in positive and constructive dialogue with the Department of Health on the content of guidance or regulations which will flesh out the detail of this new function.
At the same time we will be actively promoting the concept of a productive overview and scrutiny process amongst our member organisations. For your information I am pleased to enclose a copy of a joint discussion document we have just published and are circulating to our members. I hope you find it interesting.
Whilst there are still details to be discussed we can assure you that local government and health organisations are looking forward to working together so that these proposals work effectively for the NHS and local government and, more importantly, to the benefit of patients and the public.
With best wishes
Yours sincerely
Sir Jeremy Beecham
Chair
Local Government Association
Dianne Jeffrey
Chair
NHS Confederation
Last reviewed 24 Oct 2006