I wonder how many members of the public are aware that the latest health plan for England, due to be ratified by parliament this autumn, abolishes the role of statutory governors on all of its constituent health trusts?
For a number of years I have volunteered to act as a governor at two hospital trusts in Yorkshire. As a former health professional and principal nursing educator, I have brought years of experience to the role, for which I have been elected locally. For any organisation to wilfully remove hundreds of such skilled and committed activists from their supportive scrutiny seems ill-advised.
Local scrutiny by informed practitioners seems an essential check on the powers of a centralising Department of Health and health minister. I suspect that their newspeak of replacement by “more dynamic stakeholders” is shorthand for health industry shareholders. For a Labour government to be proposing such bureaucratic butchery seems strange indeed. I hope a concerned public can prevent this centralisation of hospital oversight.
Jean Flanagan
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Your article (21 August) about concerns raised by Healthwatch Rotherham that an AI telephone receptionist used by GP practices could not understand broad Yorkshire accents was amusing, but with serious undertones. Access to GP services is an issue that Healthwatch has highlighted all over the country. Here in Leeds, our work has led to welcome improvement.
And what’s happening to Healthwatch? The government is abolishing it, so local people will no longer have a trusted independent organisation to which they can refer problems such as these failings in an AI receptionist.
It’s not over yet – the health bill is still being debated. Let’s hope the government sees sense so that the experience of people using health and care is still heard loud and clear. That’s how things get better.
Jonathan Phillips
Co-chair, Healthwatch Leeds
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