This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Changes to Health Board accountability
11/10/2004
Changes designed to to make decision making in the NHS
more open and accountable have been announced.
Speaking after his first meeting with Health Board
chairs, Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"From today, I personally as Health Minister will hold
the annual performance review meeting for each Health Board
in Scotland. And I will hold all these meetings in
public.
"The National Health Service is a public service and it
is vital that local communities can find out how their own
health service is performing.
"I want to see more openness in decision-making about
services and more accountability in the way they are
organised.
"That means hearing about all the improvements in the
health service but also about areas where provision needs
to be better.
"As Health Minister, I want the NHS to be more open in
its dealings with the local people it serves. Today's
announcement is an important step towards achieving
that."
Each board is subject to an annual accountability review
with officials from the Executive's Health Department
examining the services it provides.
Assessment is based on performance across a number of
criteria including waiting times and control of healthcare
associated infection.
These meetings are currently held in private but the
resultant summary letter from the Health Department is made
public through boards' minutes.
Improving patient and public involvement in developing
services is a key health target in the Scottish Budget
2005-08 proposals published two weeks ago.
Earlier this month Mr Brian Beacom was appointed chair
of the new Scottish Health Council (SHC) which gives
patients representation at national level for the first
time.
Supported by a network of local advisory councils in
every Health Board, the SHC will be able to report directly
to the Health Minister where it considers local
consultation exercises have been inadequate.
Also, in the last four weeks specific duties came into
force on Boards in the NHS Reform Act to involve the public
and to promote equal opportunities.