Unlike the other proposals in the Plan there was no preceding discussion about this move, nor any clear explanation for this decision, which aroused considerable unhappiness amongst the staff and members.
However, as a result of the passing by the Welsh Assembly Government of the Community Health Councils (Constitution, Membership and Procedures) (Wales) Regulations 2010, these were replaced by eight CHCs.
These covered larger geographical areas, and were largely coterminous with the smaller number of health boards which had been established to replace most NHS Trusts in Wales.
The CHCs also provided a free, independent and confidential advocacy service to patients who sought advice and support in the process of pursuing a complaint against the NHS.
At the time of the launch of the new CHCs in 2010, the then Health Minister for Wales, Edwina Hart, indicated that they would be reviewed after two years, to evaluate how they were working.
In February 2012 the then Minister for Health and Social Services at the Welsh Government, Mrs Lesley Griffiths, formally announced the Terms of Reference for this review, which was led by Professor Marcus Longley, Director of the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care and reported back to the Minister in June 2012.