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Standing Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC)
History, current role and terms of reference

 Freedom of Information Act 2000 - publication scheme

ABOLITION OF THE STANDING MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE STANDING NURSING AND MIDWIFERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Abolition effective from 2 May 2005.

As part of an ongoing regular review process for Non-Departmental Public Bodies, the continuing need for the advisory mechanisms provided by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC) and the Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee (SNMAC) were each considered, separately, by an independent reviewer. The reviewers' findings were passed to a Steering Group who made recommendations to Ministers on the future of both SMAC and SNMAC.

The reviewers found that whilst SMAC and SNMAC had been a unique source of advice, providing authoritative and respected guidance to DH and Ministers, an increasing number of other and emerging advisory mechanisms with professional medical, nursing and midwifery representation now existed.

The Steering Group concluded that the need for SMAC and SNMAC had now passed and recommended abolition. A copy of the Steering Group Report can be found in the Publications Section of these web pages.

In accepting this recommendation, Ministers recognised that many of the newer advisory mechanisms evolved from work originally undertaken by SMAC and SNMAC. Ministers, and colleagues at the Department of Health, were appreciative of the help given by past and present members, who had been hugely influential in shaping the future of advice to the Department of Health and Ministers.

The National Health Service (Standing Advisory Committees) Amendment Order 2005 (No. 1100), which came into force on 2 May 2005, abolished SMAC and SNMAC. The text of the Amendment Order and Explanatory Memorandum are available from the Cabinet Office, Public Sector Information website:

Amendment order

Explanatory Memorandum

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Publication scheme of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC)

The Standing Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC) has a duty to advise the Secretary of State for Health on such matters relating to medical services as they think fit, or are referred to them by the Secretary of State for Health.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires public authorities, including SMAC, to adopt and maintain publication schemes having regard to the public interest in having access to the information they hold and in the publication of reason for the decisions made by authorities. In considering how most appropriately to achieve these aims SMAC has taken into account the particular nature of its work, the small number of meetings it holds each year, and the limited administrative resources it has available. In the light of all these considerations SMAC has agreed to publish the information detailed below from November 2002:

  • History
  • Terms of Reference
  • Role
  • Current Membership List
  • Summary Notes of Meetings
  • Contact Address
  • Recent Reports/Advice
  • Register of Members' Interests
  • Code of Practice for SMAC Members
  • The publication scheme.

This information will be published on SMAC’s webpages

The same information, as current at that time, will be provided by email or post to any individual who makes a request to the Secretary to SMAC for it to be provided in that way. No charge will be made for provision of any of this information in any of the ways described above.

The Chair takes responsibility for the scheme on behalf of the SMAC.

The Head of the Secretariat (currently Mrs Melissa Naylor) is responsible for maintaining the scheme on a day to day basis.

SMAC Secretariat
Area 423 Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8UG

 

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