31.This section establishes the Citizen Voice Body for Health and Social Care, Wales (the “Citizen Voice Body”) as a body corporate (a legal entity in its own right) whose general objective will be to represent the interests of the public in health and social care. It will also provide complaints advocacy service in respect of health and social care. The Citizen Voice Body will be a national body that will replace the 7 Community Health Councils in Wales and the Board of Community Health Councils which oversees the local Councils.
32.Provision about the Citizen Voice Body’s membership, constitution and operational arrangements is made in Schedule 1.
33.The Body will have between 8 and 10 non-executive members, appointed by the Welsh Ministers; including a chairing member and a deputy chairing member.
34.The Body’s membership will also include the person appointed under paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 as its chief executive.
35.Schedule 1 also makes provision for an associate member to be appointed to the Body in circumstances where one or more trade unions are recognised by it. To be eligible for appointment as an associate member, an individual must be a member of the Body’s staff and a member of a trade union recognised by the Body. The procedure for appointing an associate member is set out in paragraph 6 of the Schedule; and an appointment would be made by the non-executive members on the basis of nominations made by trade unions recognised by the Body.
36.The expression “recognition” in relation to a trade union is significant for the purposes of rules regulating collective bargaining between employers and trade unions; the principal legislation on this is the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
37.Among other things, the Body will have the power under Schedule 1 to appoint staff; and to establish committees and sub-committees. The Body will be required to make rules regulating its procedure and the procedure of any of its committees or sub-committees.