FUTURE OF PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT FORUMS

Early day motion 1811, tabled 14 March 2006 by John Leech (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 64 members.

That this House welcomes the work of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) forums to secure improvements in health services in many constituencies; notes that the Government is still reviewing the future of patient and public involvement in health and is concerned at suggestions that local authority overview and scrutiny committees could take on the work of PPI forums; believes the overview and scrutiny process is often highly politicised and can be used as a rubber stamp of executive decision-making, and that committees are already overstretched; further believes that the strength of PPI forums is that they are people-focused and work outside the party political arena; and therefore urges the Government not to retreat from supporting independent patient and public involvement bodies.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Conservative 13, Liberal Democrat 11, DUP 6, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.