It has finally been decreed, despite much lobbying and pressure from supporters and friends, that the curtain will fall on CHC’s later this year. They will cease to be after 29 years of fighting the patient’s corner. “Representing the interests of the patient in the NHS.”

Some 3 years ago the Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn publicly announced that CHC’s were out of touch, out of date and ineffective in today’s modernised NHS. CHC’s were “dinosaurs” and needed to be extinguished, and a new way would be found to represent patients interests in the NHS. This flattering announcement took CHC’s across England and Wales totally by surprise. The small army of staff and volunteers were shocked, humiliated and angry.

Before I came to work with ME, I spent 15 years as a volunteer lay member with the Community Health Council. For the latter 10 years I was Chairperson at local and regional level, and for my final 3 years I was Chair of The Association of CHC’s for England and Wales. ACHCEW worked with Ministers and NHS Executives on national policy making and strategic planning, and achieved much to improve the lot of patients. ACHCEW were the parent body of over 200 CHC’s across England and Wales. Approx. 600 staff and 5,000 volunteers – all working in the interest of patients.

I dedicated a huge amount of time and effort to this work. Many CHC’s fought and won improvements in health services; lobbied for quality standards; named and shamed areas of neglect. Examples of CHC’s achievements are;Casualty Watch – exposing dreadful conditions in some Accident and Emergency departments; The mixed sex wards scandals, The hugely damning report “Hungry in Hospital” exposing neglect of patients nutritional needs, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. Much more has been achieved since my term of office ended in 1998.

One of the main unsung achievements of CHC’s was the handling of individual patient’s complaints. Paid staff brought complaints to health authorities and Hospital Trusts in an effort to resolve problems; bring satisfaction to the
complainant and at the same time use the complaints procedure to improve services - to ensure services changed for the better. The independence of the CHC to pursue complaints on behalf of patients is crucial and I hope, will not be lost in the new system.

Yes, CHC’s needed a major overhaul, a full review of working practices, a comprehensive MOT. Some CHC’s tried to do too much and failed, some stayed on the fence so as not to compromise working relationships within the NHS. Some led the way; others needed bringing up to speed. Modernisation in line with changes within the NHS would have led to improved services.

A strategy for maintaining CHC’s was placed before Ministers with support from many senior politicians and members of the upper house. The powers that be however would not be swayed. Change was needed, and would be implemented – except that the Department of Health had yet to work out what to put in their place.

For the last three years CHC’s staff and volunteers have continued to deliver a valuable service, unsure of their future, but absolutely clear of the governments view of their past. Many have left, staff needing job security have jumped ship, volunteers, undervalued, have moved on. Many have been active in preparing the way for the new order, unsure of their own future. CHC’s have now been given their marching orders – September 2003, yet still are expected to remain loyal until the “changeover” to the new system.

For the sake of all of us as patients I hope the new system works, that it is independent and it is fair. It will without doubt cost the NHS a huge amount more to operate both in human and financial resources.

I hope that many of the extra-ordinary people, the committed working volunteers, the dedicated staff of CHC’s, who have advocated and represented us continue to fight our corner. We owe them a debt of gratitude – this government should recognise that and applaud their contribution.