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The red+blue herring of the CHC's shoals and trying to catch some again so they can be made to swim in our times with more than middle class fins on them, is not a good trawling point here. I have my radar on while snorkelling HSJ.

It's part of NALM being "Top-Down" frankly because Malcolm does want the return of the CHC's shape slid fishily into the bill .

Straightforward powers to view in on local Service Level Agreements (checking the ideal against the patient experience reality ) is not going to end, and is not rocket science to teach. Enter and Viewing wards and units/care homes does require some filters and knowledge, but its not going to end as a means of scrutiny.

Protecting peoples rights to consultations is enshrined in NHS law (2006 Act) though is weaker in Social Care, in the 2007 Act which "empowers" LINks. Anyone can read it all and act on it to protect those rights as much as possible . Anyone can do that and see these rights will not end with Lansley's Bill

NALM is full of good people but really should have concentrated on producing a DIY manual bottom-up monitoring methodology with examples of concrete practices that empowers all (bottom up) of how to to view in on all services. The part-NALM drip-fed desire promotion of CHC's is noted, but they are not the only structures that can serve public lay scrutiny of Health and Social Care.

It's a question though whether some more of the LINk ego-players and ego-ritualists will hear the lessons and implement good un-greased monitoring practice regardless of LA's , Councilors , NHS bodies etc . No-one owns you in this democracy or what you do within the law. You use powers and legal rights like the FOIA, and form concerns. You are not recognised for having power unless you can make critical informed views available based on evidence gathered.

Speaking as an ex monitoring anti-shark in the dodgy NHS shark and barracuda seas I would like people stop getting hung up on bureaucratic structures the London centric left-right crowds wish to dominate with the usual suspects, and go-local and promote findings Online . Being independent means doing it, not talking about it forever waiting for centralised power like I have seen too many people do .

Local power is generated by actions and hooking into information various NHS bodies try to keep away from the democratic pool.

Remember you too have a secret anti-shark fin hidden away - for God's sake strap it on and start swimming.

Yours Jaws

Paul Barry Cutie Tovey

Ps : Ignore the image of the dog-icon which now misrepresents me - I am awaiting my new sleeker underwater form...