Press release: NHS Confederation responds to appeal to North Eastern Derbyshire PCT

23 Aug 2006

Dr Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents more that 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said:

"Today's ruling has again identified an urgent need for clarification from the Department of Health about the boundaries of Section 11. 

"Furthermore, there is also a broader issue about the future of patient and public involvement and consultation. Recent proposals from the Department of Health signify a clear aim to strengthen patient and public involvement, for example, through the development of LINks and patient petitions.

"This is of course a positive move, but we must ensure that we do not run the risk of developing bureaucratic processes rather than gaining a real understanding about what local communities want and need from healthcare services."

ENDS

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents more than 90% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

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