COVER has produced a summary of the recent Department of Health White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. This useful four side document picks out the key elements set out in the paper, and explains some of the new concepts and bodies that are introduced. Click here to download the document.

COVER has produced summaries of the four associated Government consultation documents that have since been launched: ‘Transparency in Outcomes: A Framework for the NHS'; ‘Local democratic legitimacy in health: Liberating the NHS'; Commissioning for patients; and Regulating healthcare providers. COVER is coordinating a response to each of these consultations, and invites you to read the short summaries (3-4 pages each) and send your answers to the following questions to Katy Harbottle

Consultation 1: Transparency in Outcomes: A Framework for the NHS

1. What principles do you think should underpin this framework?
2. What potential outcome indicators, including methods for selection, could be presented in the framework?

Consultation 2: Liberating the NHS: Local democratic legitimacy in health

1. How can local voice and the exercise of patient choice be supported?
2. How can joined up commissioning of local NHS services, social care and health improvement be promoted?

Consultation 3: Commissioning for patients

1. What role do you think the VCS could/should play in advising GP consortia?
2. Promoting and extending public and patient involvement and choice requires provision of information and support. How should the sector be involved in providing and influencing this? 

Consultation 4: Regulating healthcare providers

1. The Foundation trust model will be rolled out across the NHS. They are already effectively social enterprises, and input from VCS organisations should enhance their function. How can we ensure this happens?
2. Monitor will be the new economic regulator of the NHS. How should it be structured to ensure effective representation from patients and the public? 

The deadline for responses to COVER for all four consultations is 5pm on Monday 15th September 2010. You are invited to attend our regional consultation event for the Voluntary and Community Sector on 24th September. Click here for a booking form and more information. For those of you who can't attend this event, we will be holding a focus group on the 16th September 2-4pm at the COVER offices. Please email Janice Mossey if you wish to attend.