New Chair to the Board of Community Health Councils in Wales

Mutale Merrill has been appointed as the new chair of the Board of Community Health Councils in Wales, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford announced today.

Community health councils (CHCs) represent the independent voice of patients and the public who use the health service in Wales. The Board of Community Health Councils regulates, monitors and manages the work of the seven CHC organisations.

Through their voluntary members, CHCs play an important role in influencing the way health services are planned and delivered to ensure the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes for people in Wales, now and in the future.

They provide;

• Information for patients and the public about NHS services, including change consultations
• Monitoring of health services from the patient’s point of view
• Support for individual patients in their dealings with the NHS
• A free and independent complaints advocacy service that offers confidential support
• Advice and guidance for those wishing to make a complaint about the NHS.

Mutale has held a number of public appointments in Wales, including being the first chair of the Care Council for Wales and, more recently, vice chair of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

She currently sits on the audit and risk assurance committee of the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales and is also chief executive of BAWSO, a non-governmental organisation providing specialist services across Wales to black and ethnic minority women and children made homeless through violence.

She said:

“CHC’s are vital in allowing the voice of the patient to be heard in our health services.

“A major advantage we have in Wales is that we still have community health councils. Wales is unique within the UK in this respect. My focus now is to make sure CHCs are working in a way which is sustainable and serves the people of Wales as well as possible.”

Professor Drakeford said:

“I attach great importance to the appointment of chairs – they are appointed for their skills and experience, and for the contribution they can make to the work of community health councils and the wider NHS in Wales.

“I am confident that Mutale has the ability to take on this challenging but most worthwhile public service and I wish her every success.”