Can the NHS can be democratised through patient and public involvement?

Creating a patient-led NHS is a Government ambition and a variety of legislation has been passed and number of initiatives launched to help further the aim. This is based on the belief that the NHS is doctor-led, undemocratic, hierarchical, paternalistic, inefficient and unaccountable, all of which have contributed to it being increasingly expensive to run and not the worlds’ best, yet.

Local Authority ‘Overview & Scrutiny Committees’ have been established to help tackle its perceived democratic deficit and Patient & Public Involvement Forums act as ‘critical friends’ to the Trusts that they monitor the work of. Initiatives such as ‘surveys’, ‘choose and book’, ‘copying letters to patients’ and ‘expert patient groups’ are all attempts at giving people a voice, empowering them and offering them more ‘choice’.

The discussion will explore how progressive the notion of a patient-led NHS really is and what role these initiatives play. Can/should the NHS be democratised? Who benefits from the legislation and these initiatives?