Hearing about the disgusting state of some of our hospitals is very disappointing. Having seen it for myself when my father-in-law died in Winchester hospital 4 years ago today where we watched him dying in a normal ward. His bed was spotted with blood and faeces and the basin and ward were filthy. I felt very sorry for the other patients of all ages in the ward who had to witness his 5 children plus spouse and daughters-in-law hovering around his bed all day until he died in the evening.

I was a member of the Winchester and District Community Health Council (CHC) for eight years from 1991. We had a regular system of visits to all NHS facilities catering for Winchester and District residents including hospitals, GP surgeries, mental health providers and others. Each member was allocated a department at the hospital in Winchester. I was responsible for Florence Portal House, the gynaecology and obstetric department, and also the children’s ward. I was able to visit unexpectedly as well as the more formal 6 monthly visits. We talked to patients, inspected the cleanliness of the wards, lavatories and washing facilities as well as food. We then wrote detailed reports which became public documents. I once discovered that there were not enough trained children’s nurses and that caused big headlines in the local press and subsequently the trust employed more children’s nurses. CHC’s had a lot of power and influence – ‘people power’.

We also had the role of looking at any changes in policy which affected health care and the chief executives of the hospital or health care trust had to attend our public meetings and answer questions. Members of the public were invited to the public meetings which were held around the district including Andover to make comments and listen to the health chiefs informing us of latest developments.

We were all volunteers with one paid member of staff to coordinate what we were doing and also to follow up patient complaints. Many of us had worked in the health service before and all had some expertise or experience to offer.

What a shame the Labour Government got rid of them, a cost effective method of maintaining high standards in our local NHS providers which were accountable to the local population. I am sure that were CHC’s still around, our NHS wards would not be in such as dismal state.