"Community Health Councils (CHCs) were formed in 1974 and are the patient's voice in the National Health Service. It is the duty of each council to keep under review the operation of the health service in its district and make recommendations for the improvement of that service.
Meetings of the council are open to the public and press as observers. Regular monitoring visits are carried out to local health care establishments and the CHC is represented on numerous groups including the Local Health Board. Regular contact is maintained with NHS Trusts who service the area.
A Complaints Advocate can also assist patients who wish to make a complaint about an NHS service.
Ceredigion CHC was closely involved in the recent consultation to merge the 3 Dyfed Trusts. Although not supportive of the merger a new Trust - Hywel Dda was formed on 1 April 2008 covering the counties of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. A Three Counties Forum is considering service provision across Dyfed.
A consultation is expected this Autumn on the future of Local health Boards.
Autumn also ees our regular Hospital Patient Environment Visits to Bronglais General Hospital and this year to Tregaron Community Hospital. This is a Welsh Assembly Government initiative - the Assembly using CHC Members as their eyes and ears to report back on the state of Welsh hospitals.
You are invited to attend your local event on the reconfiguration of Community Health Councils in Wales. The following events will take place on :-
Tuesday 7 April 2009 at 9 am, at Nant Y Ffin Hotel, Llandissilio, Pembrokeshire.
Tuesday 7 April 2009 at 2 pm, St Peters Civic Hall, Carmarthen.
Thursday, 9 April 2009 at 2 pm, Park Lodge Hotel, Aberystwyth.
Community Health Councils are your independent statutory voice in the NHS in Wales.
As part of the reconfiguration of the NHS at this time, the Minister for Health and Social Services, Edwina Hart, AM MBE has announced her plans to strengthen the role of Community Health Councils and would like the opinion of the public as well as organisations with an interest in health.
If you would like to learn more about the plans for CHCs in the future, or how you may become involved in the CHCs, we would very much like to see you at the event. So as to ensure sufficient space for all concerned, please phone your CHC office on 01970 624760 to let them know you intend being there.
We look forward to meeting you soon."
For further information contact: Ceredigion CHC, 8 Portland Road, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NL. Tel: 01970 624760, e-mail: Ceredigion@chcwales.org.uk
