SUPPORTERS of independent patients' watchdogs won a concession from Parliament when they lobbied at Westminster.
Delegates from Blackburn and Burnley Community Health Councils joined supporters from around the country to demonstrate against scrapping the patients' champions.
And though the Health and Social Bill replacing the CHCs with a series of NHS bodies was passed, the Government voted to accept an amendment supported by the councils. It proposes an umbrella body to bring together the various new bodies and make the system less confusing for patients, and forming independent advocacy councils.
Nigel Robinson, chief officer of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley CHC, said: " We can't let the pressure off. We are still hoping that they will not scrap CHCs."
Ribble Valley Conservative MP Nigel Evans is supporting the CHCs. He said: "CHCs are the watchdogs, not the lapdogs the Government wants them to become."
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