Scrapping of LHBs - Jenny Randerson comment

2.50.25pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

Jenny Randerson is concerned that local voices will be ignored

Commenting on the Minister's announcement that she intends to scrap LHBs as part of her reconfiguration process for the NHS in Wales, Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Jenny Randerson AM said:

"It was clear that the majority of responses to the first phase of the consultation expressed the opinion that single bodies commissioning and providing services was the way forward. It has become very clear over the last couple of years that the system was unsustainable and resources and skills were too stretched across 22 separate bodies.

"I very much hope that the Minister's proposals that she will draw up, will find a way of ensuring that there is a local voice in the health service and the facilitation of collaboration between health and social care as they shared common boundaries. This was the greatest strength of LHBs, that they were responsive to local needs and did not allow health service provision to be taken too far away from the people they are providing for as well as building relationships with social service providers. I believe that the best way to provide this voice now is through strengthening the role of the 22 Community Health Councils. I am astonished that the Conservatives stated that they want to reduce the number of CHCs. This is a blatant attack on the right for patient's voices to be heard and the localism agenda they claim to espouse.

"I still await with some concern the Minister's decision about the national board. To me, any other system than one which operates at the arms length of the Minster could lead to a dangerous system of centralisation and political meddling. She has to find a counterweight to the removal of local voices. The Minister has to learn the lessons from Health Commission Wales where the organisation was crippled by political meddling.

"This is an interesting milestone in the history of the Welsh NHS, it has to be got right and lead to a period of stability and not a period of political meddling.