[holding answer 15 June 2006]: The White Paper, “Our health, our care, our say”, set out a new vision for the future of community health and social care services. Paragraph 6.43 made the following commitment:
“PCTs taking current decisions about the future of community hospitals will be required to demonstrate to their SHA that they have consulted locally and have considered options such as developing new pathways, new partnerships and new ownership possibilities. SHAs will then test PCT community hospital proposals against the principles of this White Paper.”
The Department wrote to strategic health authorities on 16 February reminding them of this commitment and setting out practical arrangements. This letter specifically related to community hospital consultations, rather than those relating to mental health and learning disability trusts.