On 14 January the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, announced that the Government may introduce the same forms of ownership for local groups of GPs and other health practitioners (Primary Care Trusts) as he is currently proposing for foundation hospital trusts.  Local people and former patients will have the option to become a “member” of a Primary Care Trust and gain the right to elect representatives onto the hospital’s governing body.

The Shadow Health Secretary, Liam Fox, however argued that the Government’s reforms do not amount to “local ownership”.  He said: “Ownership implies a financial stake and independence. There will be no financial stake, and the Secretary of State will be able to take back foundation status at will.  That is not ownership, in my book” (Hansard, 14 January 2003, Col. 532).

The introduction of local election to hospital boards is part of the Government’s attempts to give patients a greater voice in the running of the NHS.  In particular on 1 January 2003 it launched the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.  The Commission will be responsible for the establishment of Patient Forums in every area to “support community groups” and “promote public involvement in health provision”.  Individual hospitals have set up Patient Advocacy and Liaison Services (PALS) to provide information to patients and “advise” them on the complaints process.  The junior health minister, David Lammy, has been assigned responsibility for improving public involvement.

But choice of hospital and consultant, the best means to make the system respond to the needs of the patient, is still open only to patients waiting for longer than six months for heart and eye operations.  Only just over 4,000 people have benefited from the schemes, around 1 in 250 people on the NHS waiting list.  

Such choice is the norm in Continental insurance-based systems which offer a higher standard of care for all patients.

On 14 January the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, announced that the Government may introduce the same forms of ownership for local groups of GPs and other health practitioners (Primary Care Trusts) as he is currently proposing for foundation hospital trusts.  Local people and former patients will have the option to become a “member” of a Primary Care Trust and gain the right to elect representatives onto the hospital’s governing body.

The Shadow Health Secretary, Liam Fox, however argued that the Government’s reforms do not amount to “local ownership”.  He said: “Ownership implies a financial stake and independence. There will be no financial stake, and the Secretary of State will be able to take back foundation status at will.  That is not ownership, in my book” (Hansard, 14 January 2003, Col. 532).

The introduction of local election to hospital boards is part of the Government’s attempts to give patients a greater voice in the running of the NHS.  In particular on 1 January 2003 it launched the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.  The Commission will be responsible for the establishment of Patient Forums in every area to “support community groups” and “promote public involvement in health provision”.  Individual hospitals have set up Patient Advocacy and Liaison Services (PALS) to provide information to patients and “advise” them on the complaints process.  The junior health minister, David Lammy, has been assigned responsibility for improving public involvement.

But choice of hospital and consultant, the best means to make the system respond to the needs of the patient, is still open only to patients waiting for longer than six months for heart and eye operations.  Only just over 4,000 people have benefited from the schemes, around 1 in 250 people on the NHS waiting list.  

Such choice is the norm in Continental insurance-based systems which offer a higher standard of care for all patients.