Written question asked by Austin Mitchell (Labour) on Tuesday, 28 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 November 2003. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 November 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy that new organisations handling complaints and patient issues in place of community health councils should establish (a) local offices and (b) drop-in advice services.

Answer: Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that new organisations handling complaints and patient issues in place of community health councils should establish (a) local offices and (b) drop-in advice services. [135636] Ms Rosie Winterton: The independent complaints advocacy service, that supports people if they want to make a complaint against the national health service, provides a service across the whole of England from a mixture of regional and local offices. It is not a general drop-in advice service. Patient advice and liaison services, providing on-the- spot help and advice to patients, their families and carers, exist in almost all NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) and do provide a drop-in advice service. Patients' forums, providing new opportunities to get involved in health services, are being set up for every NHS trust and PCT and will operate locally. Providing a drop-in advice service is a function of PCT patients' forums.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 413 c848W; 135636
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Advisory services Patients Location Offices Patients' forums Patient advice and liaison services Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Independent complaints advocacy services
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk