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Arm’s Length Body Review and the implications for PPI

As a result of the Department of Health’s Arm’s Length Bodies Review, the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) will be abolished. Patients’ Forums will remain the cornerstone of the arrangements we have put in place to create opportunities for patients and the public to influence health services.

Stronger, more efficient arrangements to provide administrative support and advice to Forums will be put in place. These will enable Forums to concentrate on their core functions, maximising the resources available for spending on real involvement rather than administration. The NHS Appointments Commission will appoint Forum members in the future.

Further to the Review, the CPPIH and DH are undertaking a comprehensive consultation exercise on:

• the recruitment and appointment arrangements for forums – this will inform how the NHS Appointments Commission carries out its role of appointing forum members in the future
• what the future administrative support arrangements for forums should be
• how forums should work in partnership with each other, with the NHS, Healthcare Commission and Overview and Scrutiny Committees
• the training and information requirements around patient and public involvement for both forums and the NHS - this will in the future be provided by a new centre of excellence on patient and public involvement.