This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Dissolution of NHS Trusts
01/04/2004
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm has signed the Order
winding up the 16 remaining Trusts. Their responsibilities
will now transfer to NHS Boards.
Mr Chisholm said:
"The dissolution of Trusts fulfils a key commitment in
the White Paper, Partnership for Care, published over a
year ago. Our proposals, now in the NHS Reform Bill to
remove NHS Trusts from the statute book altogether have
received broad support.
"The winding up of the Trusts formally signals the end
of the old approach that saw duplication and competition
instead of streamlined, collaborative structures. Of course
the NHS in Scotland has been moving steadily in this
direction for the last 7 years. Today is the last stage in
that journey.
"Dumfries and Galloway and Borders led the way in
abolishing their Trusts a year ago, and Argyll and Clyde
and Fife soon followed suit. In addition, Lothian
University Hospitals NHS Trust became part of NHS Lothian
very recently. The new, widely-welcomed, integrated
approach offers clear benefits for patients.
"Today marks the day that all NHS Trusts in Scotland
cease to exist as legal entities. All NHS areas will now
move to single system working, ending confusion over who
does what in the NHS.
"Another of the key provisions of the NHS Reform Bill
is to introduce Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) at
local level. Designed to give patients and staff a greater
say in how their health services are delivered, they will
be responsible for key aspects of planning and delivering
community health provision, such as GP services, pharmacy
and community nursing.
"CHPs will ensure that the move to single-system working
does not result in centralisation, but continues the
delegation of resources and authority to front-line
staff.
"These provisions, along with others contained in the
Bill, will pave the way for further improvements across the
NHS for the benefit of all patients."
The NHS Reform Bill was published 27 June 2003. Briefing
notes on the Bill can be found at
www.scottish.parliament.uk
or
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2003/05/SENW527.aspx.
Mr Chisholm signed the NHS Trust Dissolution Order in
March dissolving all remaining NHS Trusts in Scotland with
effect from 1 April 2004. The order has already been laid
before Parliament.
Transfer Orders, to transfer rights, assets and
liabilities from Trusts to NHS Boards - or in the case of
heritable property, to Scottish Ministers - have been
drafted and signed. They will come into effect today.