The Objectives of the Community Health Council
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Produced by the Oxford Regional Association of CHC Secretaries – written in the late 1970’s
The main objective of any Community Health Council is to ensure that the National Health Services established by the relevant District Health Authority are the gest available and cover the essential requirements of the local population, according to the finance made available.
The CHC has to keep itself up-to-date with all the developments in the Health Care fields so that the progress in medicine, in techniques and nursing, as well as in administration, are utilized within the District wherever possible, and to this end, it is essential that a meaningful relationship is established with the District Management Team and many of the officers with the District Health Authority. The invitation to Consultants and Specialists, as well as local Doctors, to address working groups studying particular subjects on health or health services is a most effective way to ensure a working relationship.
A list of matters to which CHCs might direct their attention was provided by the Department of Health and Social Services.
General:
The effectiveness of services being provided in the health district, and their adequacy in relation to health care needs. The relevant DHAs will consult Councils about their plans and intentions, but Councils will not be expected to wait until consulted; they may advise and make representations to the AHA on their own initiative.
Planning of Services:
Criticism and constructive comment on DH plans for provision of and development of services.
Changes in services:
Comment on DHA plans for important variations in services affecting the public, eg: new services. Closures of hospitals or department of hospitals or change of their use.
Collaboration:
The effectiveness of co-operation between the health services and the related local authority services.
Standards:
Assessment of extent to which district health facilities for patients conform with published Departmental policies in their administration and practices; the extent to which facilities match up to recommended standards (where these exist) or national or regional averages, eg: number of hospital beds in particular specialties per 1,000 population, average number of patients on family doctors’ lists, number of persons per dentist (statistical and other information will be provided by the AHA on request); the share of available resources devoted to the care of patients unable to protect their own interests, especially those living in hospital for long periods or indefinitely.
Facilities for patients:
Hospital visiting arrangements for patients (including open visiting for children, facilities for mothers to stay in hospital with young children); waiting times and accommodation for patients in out-patient departments: amenities for hospital patients; arrangements for rehabilitation of patients.
Waiting periods for in-patient and out-patient treatment’ and for domiciliary services.
Quality of catering in health service institution in the district.
Complaints:
The volume and type of complaints received about a service or institution. The investigation of individual complaints will be a matter for the health authority and its staff or (where appropriate) for the Health Service Commissioner or Service Committee but CHCs will be able, without prejudging the merits of individual complaints or seeking out the facts, to give advice, on request, on how and where to lodge a complaint and to act as a ‘patient’s friend’ when needed. A CHC will also wish to bring any potential general causes of local complaint to the notice of the DHA.
The CHC might wish to ask some of their members to take a special interest in a particular part of the district, or in particular institutions within the district.
Health Care Groups:
Similarly, a CHC might decide that sub-committees of the Council should take a special interest in services provided for particular health care groups, eg: health services for the mentally disabled.
CHCs do not have an exclusive claim on what the consumer thinks about the health service. Many doctors and administrators and other producers of services know only too well what is needed and fight very hard to get it. And many CHCs would wish to acknowledge the co-operation and support given to them by those working in the health service.
But, despite their statutory basis and the existence of regulations and guidelines defining their activities, CHCs have had difficulty sometimes in establishing their rights, in practice, to be consulted, to get hold of information, to be represented on various bodies. And, in taking on the professional expert – perhaps the biggest challenge of all – they have to tackle such thorny issues as the debate on access to information and safeguarding confidentiality.
CHCs have already demonstrated that their perspective is very important in getting the balance of services right. And it seems that the more they achieve, the more they are spurred on to do. They are still pushing forward the boundaries of what they can do and where they can be effective. In their short lives, CHCs have aroused a lot of strong feelings, surely it is right to hope that they continue to do so.
Extract from:
Speech by Dr. David Owen MP, Minister of State (Health) to the Conference of all London Community Health Councils on Thursday, 29th April 1976 at Church House, Westminster.
The CHCs duty is to see that their Districts are not unfavourably treated, to point out deficiencies, to scrutinize methods and priorities and o express their views as far as possible representing the health service areas view point. CHCs will not help themselves, the public, or the NHS b destructive criticism or objecting to any change. It is vital that CHCs should be constructive. This means on occasions accepting the need for unpleasant decisions, debating proposals intelligently and assisting local communities to understand the problems and the need for change.
CHCs have the crucial right to information. CHCs cannot be expected to be constructive if they are deprived of information by Health Authorities. Effective participation without the fullest information is impossible, and there are still too many examples of Health Authorities unreasonably withholding information.
Where rationalization of services requires change of use or closure of existing health buildings, CHCs have been given special status. They must be consulted on all proposals, and if they and the DHA agree, a closure or change of use can go ahead without requiring Departmental approval. Where the CHC does not agree with the Health Authority, the matter must be referred to Ministers for decision.
The Consultative Document on Health and Personal Social Services priorities makes it clear that ‘local protests will only be given serious consideration if they are accompanied by realistic alternative solutions within the expenditure limits’.
CHCs must be constructive in their approach. I recognize a need for positive planning and linkage of primary health care planning and hospital planning.
Many closures of hospitals are resisted because the local people in urban areas have grown used to relying on the local hospital for primary care.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Produced by the Oxford Regional Association of CHC Secretaries – written in the late 1970’s
The main objective of any Community Health Council is to ensure that the National Health Services established by the relevant District Health Authority are the gest available and cover the essential requirements of the local population, according to the finance made available.
The CHC has to keep itself up-to-date with all the developments in the Health Care fields so that the progress in medicine, in techniques and nursing, as well as in administration, are utilized within the District wherever possible, and to this end, it is essential that a meaningful relationship is established with the District Management Team and many of the officers with the District Health Authority. The invitation to Consultants and Specialists, as well as local Doctors, to address working groups studying particular subjects on health or health services is a most effective way to ensure a working relationship.
A list of matters to which CHCs might direct their attention was provided by the Department of Health and Social Services.
General:
The effectiveness of services being provided in the health district, and their adequacy in relation to health care needs. The relevant DHAs will consult Councils about their plans and intentions, but Councils will not be expected to wait until consulted; they may advise and make representations to the AHA on their own initiative.
Planning of Services:
Criticism and constructive comment on DH plans for provision of and development of services.
Changes in services:
Comment on DHA plans for important variations in services affecting the public, eg: new services. Closures of hospitals or department of hospitals or change of their use.
Collaboration:
The effectiveness of co-operation between the health services and the related local authority services.
Standards:
Assessment of extent to which district health facilities for patients conform with published Departmental policies in their administration and practices; the extent to which facilities match up to recommended standards (where these exist) or national or regional averages, eg: number of hospital beds in particular specialties per 1,000 population, average number of patients on family doctors’ lists, number of persons per dentist (statistical and other information will be provided by the AHA on request); the share of available resources devoted to the care of patients unable to protect their own interests, especially those living in hospital for long periods or indefinitely.
Facilities for patients:
Hospital visiting arrangements for patients (including open visiting for children, facilities for mothers to stay in hospital with young children); waiting times and accommodation for patients in out-patient departments: amenities for hospital patients; arrangements for rehabilitation of patients.
Waiting periods for in-patient and out-patient treatment’ and for domiciliary services.
Quality of catering in health service institution in the district.
Complaints:
The volume and type of complaints received about a service or institution. The investigation of individual complaints will be a matter for the health authority and its staff or (where appropriate) for the Health Service Commissioner or Service Committee but CHCs will be able, without prejudging the merits of individual complaints or seeking out the facts, to give advice, on request, on how and where to lodge a complaint and to act as a ‘patient’s friend’ when needed. A CHC will also wish to bring any potential general causes of local complaint to the notice of the DHA.
The CHC might wish to ask some of their members to take a special interest in a particular part of the district, or in particular institutions within the district.
Health Care Groups:
Similarly, a CHC might decide that sub-committees of the Council should take a special interest in services provided for particular health care groups, eg: health services for the mentally disabled.
CHCs do not have an exclusive claim on what the consumer thinks about the health service. Many doctors and administrators and other producers of services know only too well what is needed and fight very hard to get it. And many CHCs would wish to acknowledge the co-operation and support given to them by those working in the health service.
But, despite their statutory basis and the existence of regulations and guidelines defining their activities, CHCs have had difficulty sometimes in establishing their rights, in practice, to be consulted, to get hold of information, to be represented on various bodies. And, in taking on the professional expert – perhaps the biggest challenge of all – they have to tackle such thorny issues as the debate on access to information and safeguarding confidentiality.
CHCs have already demonstrated that their perspective is very important in getting the balance of services right. And it seems that the more they achieve, the more they are spurred on to do. They are still pushing forward the boundaries of what they can do and where they can be effective. In their short lives, CHCs have aroused a lot of strong feelings, surely it is right to hope that they continue to do so.
Extract from:
Speech by Dr. David Owen MP, Minister of State (Health) to the Conference of all London Community Health Councils on Thursday, 29th April 1976 at Church House, Westminster.
The CHCs duty is to see that their Districts are not unfavourably treated, to point out deficiencies, to scrutinize methods and priorities and o express their views as far as possible representing the health service areas view point. CHCs will not help themselves, the public, or the NHS b destructive criticism or objecting to any change. It is vital that CHCs should be constructive. This means on occasions accepting the need for unpleasant decisions, debating proposals intelligently and assisting local communities to understand the problems and the need for change.
CHCs have the crucial right to information. CHCs cannot be expected to be constructive if they are deprived of information by Health Authorities. Effective participation without the fullest information is impossible, and there are still too many examples of Health Authorities unreasonably withholding information.
Where rationalization of services requires change of use or closure of existing health buildings, CHCs have been given special status. They must be consulted on all proposals, and if they and the DHA agree, a closure or change of use can go ahead without requiring Departmental approval. Where the CHC does not agree with the Health Authority, the matter must be referred to Ministers for decision.
The Consultative Document on Health and Personal Social Services priorities makes it clear that ‘local protests will only be given serious consideration if they are accompanied by realistic alternative solutions within the expenditure limits’.
CHCs must be constructive in their approach. I recognize a need for positive planning and linkage of primary health care planning and hospital planning.
Many closures of hospitals are resisted because the local people in urban areas have grown used to relying on the local hospital for primary care.
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