Hope lives on for Montgomery Community Health Council (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

Cymraeg
English

Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Hope lives on for Montgomery Community Health Council

October 1, 2008 12:00 AM

In response to the Health Minister Edwina Hart's statement following a consultation on NHS reconfiguration, Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates comments:

"I am pleased that the Health Minister has strongly suggested that there will be no changes to the current arrangements in Powys. This means that we will keep our Montgomery Community Health Council, which operates so well and does such fantastic work in representing the people of Montgomeryshire in all aspects of the NHS.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats have long called for more powers and funding for Community Health Councils which strengthen the voice of patients throughout Wales and we will continue to campaign strongly on this issue.

"However, I am deeply shocked at the Minister's plan to politicise the NHS, which runs counter to the will of a majority in the health sector. The Minister has failed to listen to the majority voice of those who responded to the consultation and in doing so has significantly undermined any future consultation.

"Once the Minister has established the new national advisory board we will see further consultation on the future of the NHS. It is vital that the people of Powys keep up a cohesive campaign to retain the current arrangements and continue to oppose the amalgamation of our community health councils, which would have a devastating impact on the delivery of health care across the county."

Notes:

A record of the Minister Edwina Hart's statement on September 30th can be found here: http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-chamber/bus-chamber-third-assembly-rop.htm?act=dis&id=99587&ds=9/2008#a4

The Minister stated: "I have indicated that coterminousity of boundaries is the ideal future set-up for community health councils. That is because of their relationship with local authorities, and the communities within those local authority areas. I was not proposing to make any change to the Powys arrangements, which have been successful, and I will probably announce that as part of the discussions that we will be having on the future of community health councils. I have had many representations on that issue, and I have found that helpful with the existing arrangements and the way in which they have operated."

Ends/Diwedd