A statement from John Mellor:
"The patient and hospital forums, lasted for about five years. They were unusual, no political input, membership open to all, whether organisational or personal. Observer status on hospital boards, right to speak, question but not to vote. Small professional staff. No salaries paid to forum members. Highly efficient, cleared up many problems, brought to them by individuals, or organisation. In 1907, government, announced its intention to abolish. Why? Interesting, allegedly to increase efficiency. Real reason, although government inspired, they had no control. Forums which could question and request answers, became a political embarrassment. They would not let you hide the truth.
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New iniative, they would be a larger organisation, it would be called Links, it would have added powers, it's administration (and cost) would be announced later. On the 1st April 2008, Patients forums and hospital forums were abolished. Expertise, and experience, lost...
Links. It is now nearly a year later. Established, not yet. When? perhaps towards the end of the year. I can only speak for the area, Wolverhampton, where I was chairman of the Patients forum. No replacement organisation in sight. Perhaps in adjoining Staffordshire, the Patients forum there, might have been in a position to improve the lot of Patients in general and the Hospital, in particular.
John P Mellor OBE., QSM
President. National Pensioners Convention Wolverhampton
Chairman City of Wolverhampton and District United ex Service Council.
President Royal Marines Association Wolverhampton
President Royal British Legion Wolverhampton
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