11 January 2008
Plans for direct elections to Scottish NHS health boards have been announced by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.
In a consultation document published on January 8, the Scottish government said the Local Healthcare Bill will aim to enhance the role that patients and the public play in decisions about how local health services are designed.
The Bill will determine how many members of health boards should be directly elected. It could provide for all members being directly elected, a majority of them, or fewer than half of the membership.
Announcing the consultation, Sturgeon said it was part of the government's drive to improve public and community involvement in the work of NHS boards.
She added: 'Many people believe that some NHS boards have not taken sufficient account of the views of local people. The Scottish government understands that difficult decisions about NHS services have to be made.
'We also believe that local people must always be at the heart of the process and that any service changes must be rigorous, evidence-based and open to scrutiny.'
The Scottish Health Council, a body set up to represent the views of patients, welcomed the proposals.
The chair, Brian Beacon, said: 'We support any initiatives that encourage greater engagement between NHS boards and the public.'
PFjan2008
