19 December 2008
By David Scott
The Scottish Government's plans to introduce direct elections to health boards have suffered a setback following doubts raised by a Holyrood committee.
According to MSPs on the Parliament's health committee, no overwhelming case had been made for elections as the most effective way of increasing public participation and there was no sign of public enthusiasm for the proposal.
However, members of the committee, in a report published on December 15, said pilot schemes should go ahead in two areas.
'The committee believes that piloting direct elections, alongside pilots of alternative schemes, is the correct approach to take,' the report stated.
The Scottish National Party's election manifesto pledged to implement the elections to improve confidence in the NHS. They are also provided for in a health board Bill published earlier this year.
The MSPs who conducted an inquiry into the proposals said they had seen 'little concrete evidence' to suggest that direct elections would promote diversity in board appointments.
Health committee convener Christine Graham said: 'We have not seen and heard enough evidence or enthusiasm to convince us that direct elections are necessarily the most effective way to achieve [public participation].'
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