Local Involvement Networks

Mr. Baron
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether local involvement networks will have the formal power to refer their concerns to (a) the local primary care trust, (b) the local overview and scrutiny committee, (c) the health service regulator, (d) her and (e) any other body.

Ms Rosie Winterton
Details of the powers we proposed to give to local involvement networks are being finalised following the responses we received to “A stronger local voice”, and will be published shortly.

Mr. Baron
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether local involvement networks will monitor and inspect (a) the delivery of NHS services and (b) the structure of the market in healthcare.

Ms Rosie Winterton
One of the roles of local involvement networks (LINks) will be to monitor the commissioning and provision of national health service services. We are currently considering what powers LINks will need to enable them to fulfil this role.

Mr. Baron
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patient forums will continue to exist following (a) the abolition of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and (b) the establishment of local involvement networks.

Ms Rosie Winterton
It is our intention, subject to the passage of primary legislation, that patients forums will not continue to exist following the abolition of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and the establishment of local involvement networks.