The Alcohol Education Research Council (AERC) and National Treatment Agency (NTA) will no longer be arms length bodies following a Department of Health (DoH) review. The NTA will be abolished as a statutory organisation, and its functions will be transferred to the new Public Health Service, which was announced by the Secretary of State for Health on 7 July 2010. Ten other arms length bodies will be abolished, merged or have functions changed, with six likely to retain independent status. DoH press release here.
In respect of the AERC, 'Liberating the NHS: Report of the arms-length bodies review' [pdf] states:
'We intend to remove [the AERC] from our arm’s-length bodies sector while seeking to maximise opportunities for the organisation to contribute to the development of the evidence base for effective policy across Government to reduce harm from alcohol misuse. We will engage with the Alcohol Education and Research Council on the options.'
The AERC have published a statement on their website highlighting:
'The announcement only confirms that the AERC is to lose its status as an Arms Length Body; no decision has been made to abolish the organisation completely.
The AERC does not receive Government funding; most of our income comes from our charitable endowment. We are now in discussion with the Dept. of Health to see how the AERC can continue to use these funds to contribute to the development of the evidence base around alcohol misuse. The options under consideration would each allow the Alcohol Education & Research Fund to continue.'
The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, the Appointments Commission and the National Patient Safety Agency will also be removed from the DoH as arms length bodies. The Care Quality Commission and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are amongst six likely to remain as arms length bodies.
Responses to the change in status for the NTA is big news for the drugs field; a response has already been published by the national charity Drugscope.
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