Press Release

Patient Forums’ left out of public consultation

2 November 2005

Results from an on-line poll suggest that only 39% of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forums have been consulted by the NHS on the proposals for primary care. Of these only 22% felt that the consultation was meaningful

Commenting on the results of the survey Sharon Grant, Chair of the Commission said:

“As the results of our poll show, large numbers of PCT’s are completely failing in their legal duty* to consult on their proposals for huge changes in primary care.”

“This confirms the impression I have formed from the individual letters that some very angry forum members have written to me. The PPI Forums were set up, by statute, to provide a voice for patients and the public in healthcare, and its clear that many forums are feeling left out and ignored. These are people who are able to comment from an informed point of view, with whom the PCT’s should have a relationship of trust.

“It is quite shocking that so little meaningful consultation appears to be taking place, and forums feel that decisions about the future of many PCT’s are being taken far too quickly.”

The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) conducted the on-line poll (18-25 October),  to find out whether PPI Forums had been consulted about the reconfiguration proposals for the NHS as outlined in a document entitled Commissioning a Patient-led NHS (July 28 2005),

Here is a selection of comments submitted by people who took part in the survey.

“We have seen no formal consultation around the reorganisation of PCTs - though we hear rumours that Leeds is being "fast-tracked" into a single PCT.”

“We understood it to be a directive rather than a consultation”

“As far as I am aware none of the PCTs have consulted on any impact the changes may have on the ambulance service.”