The consultation on the Local Healthcare Bill was launched yesterday as part of what the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon called the government’s “drive to improve public and community involvement in the work of NHS boards.”

The consultation on the Bill, which seeks to enhance the role patients and the public play in decisions about local health service design and delivery, asks for feedback on a range of options for achieving this, including the government’s much-debated proposals to introduce direct elections to health boards.

Speaking as she launched the consultation yesterday Sturgeon said she believed that local people should be at the heart of the decision making process.

She said:  “Some recent decisions to change the way NHS services in Scotland are delivered have raised strong feeling in local communities and many people believe that some NHS Boards have not taken sufficient account of the views of local people.

"The Scottish Government understands that difficult decisions about NHS services have to be made. We also believe, however, that local people must always be at the heart of the process, and that the process for any service changes must be rigorous, evidence-based and open to scrutiny.”

She explained that the consultation will look at how existing process could be strengthened to enhance public involvement as well as asking for views on their proposals for direct elections to health boards.

However, she added: "This consultation does not stand alone - it is part of our commitment to a mutual NHS which I announced in Parliament on December 12 last year. As part of this commitment, the Local Healthcare Bill will make a huge impact on increasing public involvement in the NHS."

Brian Beacom, chair, Scottish Health Council, welcomed the consultation and its aim of bringing about greater public involvement in the running and delivery of health services, saying: “We support any initiatives that encourage greater engagement between NHS Boards and the public, and this consultation provides an opportunity for people to help shape health services in Scotland."

However, the controversial proposals for direct elections - which were extensively debated during the last parliamentary session following Labour MSP Bill Butler’s attempt to progress his now defeated Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill – have already received criticism from members of the medical profession.

Dr Peter Terry, chair, BMA Scotland, said that while greater public involvement and promoting effective governance are “laudable aims”, the BMA remains unconvinced that direct elections to NHS boards will deliver this.

He continued: “The current system that NHS Boards are using to consult is not working, the public is not happy about decisions that are being made and they don’t feel that their views are being taken into account. However, whether or not direct elections are introduced, NHS boards will still have a duty to consult the public on service changes and independent scrutiny will take place.

“Instead of looking at unnecessary legislation, the focus of this consultation should be on how Boards can improve their own consultation processes and communicate better with the public rather than the introduction of expensive elections that divert much needed NHS funding away from patient care.”

The consultation document on the proposed Local Healthcare Bill is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/208149/0055207.pdf