ONE of the most experienced community health council (CHC) chief officers in the region has attacked the Government over its plans to reform patient watchdogs.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn has said he wants to abolish community health councils, but there are continuing fears that their replacement bodies may not be able to act as an effective local watchdog.

Valerie Bryden, chief officer of South Durham and Weardale Community Health Council, said the delay in setting up an alternative to existing patient watchdogs raised questions over the Government's commitment to patients.

"Could it be that, in essence, a stronger system for involving patients and the public was never the real intention? One could argue that government floundering has actually distracted CHCs from getting on with their statutory role and done little to enhance patient and public involvement," she said.

When the abolition of CHCs was announced in July 2000, the Government said that the bodies that would replace them would be an improvement.

Two years on, Mrs Bryden said: "It is time someone asked the Government how much public money has been spent in the past two years and three months, and why there is still no clear indication of when the new systems will become operational, or when CHCs will finally disappear and how much the new systems will cost."

Peter Walsh, director of the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales, said a strong independent local watchdog would need about 1,650 staff nationwide - not the 600 quoted by the Government.