The Health Secretary Frank Dobson has been cleared of packing NHS trusts with Labour councillors at the expense of better qualified candidates.

Health Secretary Frank Dobson

He had been accused by the Shadow Health Secretary John Maples of breaching the code of practice.

Sir Leonard Peach, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, cleared Mr Dobson. But he will use an existing system to test the quality of new appointments made since the May 1 General Election.

The complaint from the Conservative Party came after changes made by Mr Dobson to the selection criteria for NHS appointments shortly after the election.

The Health Secretary wanted to invite applications from new people, especially local councillors.

In his response to Mr Maples' complaint, Sir Leonard said Mr Dobson had sought his advice about the changes. The commissioner had told him he was "free to do so, subject to complying with my Code of Practice, specifically with the requirement that appointments must be based on merit".

Sir Leonard concluded: "On the evidence available to me, I believe that the Secretary of State's public pronouncements and communications have followed this line."

John Maples

Conservatives have continued to attempt to make political capital out of the issue. A spokesman said Sir Leonard's assessment showed Mr Dobson's case highlighted communications failures.

Mr Maples called for the Health Secretary to publish all correspondence relating to NHS appointments.

But Mr Dobson said Mr Maples had made "a lot of wild accusations".

He added: "Far from keeping secret my intention to invite nominations from local councils, I pointed it out in the House of Commons and I wrote to every MP in England".

Mr Dobson said Mr Maples and other Tory former health ministers, including Stephen Dorrell and Sir Brian Mawhinney, were among two-thirds of Conservative MPs who did not make any nominations in spite of being invited to do so.

Sir Leonard's response makes it clear he supports an increase in nominations from local councils.

"The Secretary of State will surely argue that he has tapped a previously neglected source of candidates who will compete on merit for appointments."

But he was critical of a letter sent by the Department of Health only to council leaders, most of them Labour councillors. This was clearly an error, Sir Leonard said.

However, he conceded the letter was prepared and approved by officials without Mr Dobson or his ministers' involvement.

He also said his auditors would vet the councillors nominated, the competition they faced and whether they were appointed on merit.
 

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