Commentary on Sections Abolition of Patients' Forums etc Section 230: Abolition of functions of Patients’ Forums
541.This section abolishes specified functions of Patients’ Forums, the Secretary of State’s regulation-making power to confer rights of entry on members of Patients’ Forums and regulation-making power to make provision about the membership of Patients’ Forums.
542.Subsection (2) makes provision for preparation of final reports and accounts, when the functions of the Patients’ Forums are abolished. Should this happen on a date other than at the end of the financial year, a Patients’ Forum must prepare annual accounts for the final reporting period as if that date were the end of the financial year. The report must be sent to the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health within 2 months of that date.
543.Subsection (3) requires that the final report includes details of anything being done by a Patients’ Forum which is outstanding when these Patients’ Forum functions are abolished.
544.The final reporting period will end when this section comes into force, and runs from the preceding 1 April.
545.A Patients’ Forum is not required to prepare a report or annual accounts in relation to any period after the end of the final reporting period.