The Democratic Health Network (DHN) tomorrow (Friday 14 November) publishes People Power and Health, its 'Green Paper' on democratising the National Health Service.

Written by the DHN's Alyson Morley and Dr Fiona Campbell, and with a foreword from David Hinchliffe MP, Chair of the Commons Health Committee, the publication is being launched at the Annual Conference of the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU). People Power and Health aims to stimulate the debate on options for increasing local engagement on health issues that are consistent with other NHS objectives, such as a holistic 'whole person' approach to health and health inequalities.

The publication unpacks some recent Government rhetoric about public participation in the NHS. It examines the balances to be struck in the NHS between extending choice and objectives such as equity; different forms of participatory and representative democracy; national standards and local autonomy; and the distinctions between ownership, involvement and democracy.

Alternatives to the foundation trust model are explored. These include:

Extending the local authority role to take over public and community health functions and the commissioning of health services, including free dental and optometry services.
Democratising Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) through direct residence-based elections. PCTs could set their own local health targets.
Democratising patient and public involvement forums, including directly elected members, with other places reserved for patients, carers, councils, voluntary sector and other local stakeholders.
Local authorities establishing indirectly elected health and social care partnership boards accountable to local people.
A health role for regional government.
Central government maintaining the leading role on health, but with a greater emphasis on local democratic forums to scrutinise targets and set local priorities.

Dr Fiona Campbell, Co-ordinator of DHN, said: "The critique of the Government's proposals for foundation trusts has been well rehearsed. However, so far few of the critics have put forward their own ideas for meeting the objectives that the Government has set for local governance in the foundation trust model.

"In People Power and Health the Democratic Health Network is moving on the foundation trusts debate to a more positive discussion about viable alternative options for genuinely engaging local communities in health issues, without undermining the basic principles of the NHS as foundation trusts would do."

ENDS

For further information contact:

Kevin Morton	Tel. 020 7554 2858	Mobile 07958 314846	E mail kevin.morton@lgiu.org.uk
Mary Wimbury	Tel. 020 7554 2845	Mobile 07958 521344	E mail mary.wimbury@lgiu.org.uk

Notes to Editors

1. The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) is Britain's foremost independent local democracy think tank, campaigning to extend local authority best practice, freedoms and responsibilities. Recent initiatives have included the Commission on Local Governance and the LGIU is working to influence the debate on local government modernisation. Previous LGIU news releases and statements can be viewed at www.lgiu.gov.uk. The Democratic Health Network (DHN) was set up by the LGIU to provide policy advice, information, research and the exchange of good practice on the developing relationship between local government and health, and to support the democratic role of local government in health improvement. The DHN has over 100 members, the majority being local authorities, but also including health bodies and trade unions.

2. People Power and Health can be downloaded from the LGIU website at http://www.training.lgiu.gov.uk/pepgreenpaper.pdf.

3. For a free journalists' copy of People Power and Health, contact Kevin Morton, LGIU Press Officer, on 020 7554 2858, 07958 314846 or e-mail kevin.morton@lgiu.org.uk. The publication can also be downloaded from http://www.training.lgiu.gov.uk/pepgreenpapaer.pdf

Never mind the foundation trusts - what are the alternatives?