Earlier this month we blogged about service reconfigurations with a focus on ensuring compliance with commissioner's statutory obligation to involve the public usually by way of consultation.
As the squeeze on public funding continues commissioners have difficult decisions to make about services - which to continue which to commission and which to stop. Service users and providers are more inclined than ever before to take a case to court to try to stop or reverse decisions to change or decommission services. Providers attempting to reconfigure services face the same challenges.
Readers may be interested to read our briefing on reconfiguring services: when must NHS bodies consult the public? How do they go about doing it? And how can they protect themselves from legal challenge?
Our briefing looks at lessons learned from recent cases and a print out and keep guide to our ten rules for an effective lawful consultation process.
Click here to read the full briefing.