28. Evidence submitted by East of England
Ambulance PPI Forum (PPI 124)
We are writing on behalf of the Forum members
of what was previously covering the East Anglian Ambulance Trust
area. We now form part of the larger Forum membership covering
the new East of England Ambulance Trust.
We were represented at the All Party Parliamentary
Group reception on the 30th October last and wish to add our comments
to your Committee's evidence on the inquiry into the future of
patient and public involvement in the NHS.
1. ESTABLISHMENT
OF LINKS
We are concerned after barely three years the
government is proposing to abolish Forums and substitute LINks.
It appears that the main contact will be Overview and Scrutiny
Committees, which have a very wide remit covering health and social
care.
Whilst this local group within the new Forum
has good informal contacts with the three OSC's of Norfolk, Suffolk
and Cambridge it is felt that any new arrangement, indeed line
of contact, will take some time to develop effectively. This at
a time, when the rate of investment in the NHS is slowing, and
further pressures will be put on Trusts to maintain quality services.
This will need careful monitoring by a patient organisation.
2. FINANCING
OF LINKS
The draft proposals to hand indicate that local
government will fund the LINks with money provided centrally.
This money, we understand will not be ring fenced. This local
group is not satisfied that adequate funds will be available to:
(a) Resource the work of LINk members.
(b) Adequately support the costs of a support
staff in the way FSO's are funded at present.
(c) Make it increasingly difficult for any
project work requiring even modest funds to be carried out. We
assume that a competitive bidding process would be required for
limited funds and this would take time. We accept that any proposal
would require clear justification but in the light of recent experience
feel that the process would be tortuous.
LINks would need to be transparently funded
with members being aware of the sums available. Adequate resources
should be made available for marketing and publicity, which has
not been the case for the current PPI Forums.
3. RELATIONSHIP
WITH OSC'S
AND TRUSTS
It is essential that LINks as presently proposed
should:
(a) Be seen to be autonomous.
(b) Not subservient to OSC's but equal in
their dealings with Trusts.
4. POWERS &
RESPONSIBILITIES
Any Public & Patient group with statutory
powers should:
(a) Fully represent all who make use of the
NHS.
(b) Draw members from across the community
by means of selection and co-option.
(c) Have full rights, within agreed protocols,
for access to all areas and services provided by the NHS and associated
organisations.
(d) Be part of the consultation process on
the provision and alteration of NHS services.
(e) Within the regulations establishing such
groups, be fully autonomous and independent of control by the
Department of Health.
5. STRUCTURE
The new Public and Patient groups, be they LINks
or any other arrangement, should be part of a regional structure,
co-terminus with the current SHA's and with a small national structure
provided to ensure that co-operation and liaison on important
national issues are covered.
6. RIGHT OF
APPEAL
The new LINks or groups should have a clearly
defined right of appeal to the Secretary of State.
7. STABILITY
OF ANY
NEW STRUCTURE
It is felt most emphatically that it would be
better to delay any change in the present structure, to ensure,
that any new structure is robust and has the confidence of the
public, patients and the NHS.
CONCLUSION
Given the background and experience of the members
of the Forum, we would welcome the opportunity to give verbal
comment on our experience over the last three years and our hopes
for patient and public involvement in the future of the NHS.
Whatever policy is finally implemented should
be robust, effective and structured in such a way as to have the
confidence and enthusiastic support of the community at large.
The NHS would then be truly world beating.
Jon Rapley
Vice Chair, East of England Ambulance PPI Forum
10 January 2007
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