Barnet Community Health Council (CHC) is reserving judgement on re-tabled government proposals which could see its abolition.

The Association of Community Health Councils in England and Wales (ACHCEW) reacted angrily to the threat to ditch CHCs. But the Barnet branch said proposals, published on Friday last week, had "come a long way" since first being mooted 18 months ago.

Under the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill, CHCs will cease to exist, to be replaced by new patient forums. There will also be a national body the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in the NHS which Barnet CHC believes will give patients a say about health services in their area.

Roger Chapman, chairman of Barnet CHC, said: "We consider that the proposals for patient and public involvement contained in the bill have come a long way. We want to look at the bill closely to see how it can be made most effective for patients."

But Angeline Burke, ACHCEW senior policy officer, said patients would lose a "respected, effective, independent health watchdog" if the bill was passed. "In its place they will get a system that is more fragmented more confusing and less independent," she added.

The abolition, proposed in the last parliamentary session, provoked across-the-board criticism from patients, MPs and health campaigners who were concerned patients would lose access to an independent watchdog.

November 14, 2001 17:31

IAN LLOYD