Minutes:
The Joint Programme Director for Acute Sustainability gave an overview of the report and highlighted that Epsom and St Helier Trust developed a Strategic Outline Case which set out three key challenges; clinical sustainability, modernising the estate and financial sustainability. The Trust conducted an engagement exercise and made recommendations to address these challenges and identified potential solutions.
Sutton, Merton and Surrey are the three principle customers of services from Epsom and St Helier therefore the respective Clinical Commissioning Groups have formed the Improving Healthcare Together 2020-2030 programme to look at the challenges identified by Epsom and St Helier. It was recommended that the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee should mirror the NHS arrangements.
A recent meeting of the Committees in Common agreed the initial proposals within the Improving Healthcare Together Programme and given approval for the work to move to the engagement stage. The CCG’s are keen to keen to engage with all sections of the public and local authorities.
Members noted that the report
is still at a high level and asked if the figures are predicated on
current provision and if so what assumptions will be made. The
Managing Director for Merton and Wandsworth said the current assumptions are broadly based on
current services, this information is still being
compiled. Further information will
model the demographic and non demographic growth as well as planned
commissioning changes. As the population is ageing, south west
London will need the range of services that are provided at the
moment retaining the current acute services and any potential
solution must retain acute services within the combined
geography.
Members were concerned that a
reconfiguration of acute services could result in a change in
patient flows as residents may use acute services elsewhere rather
than local community services. The Managing Director for Merton and
Wandsworth said they recognise there may be a change in the local
authorities who are affected by the change in acute configuration.
They have commissioned some work to assess travel times as many
acute services are accessed by ambulance, there is a need to
understand how patient flows will change. They will also look at the impact of deprivation
and how deprived communities access care differently and if they
use more acute care.
There are no results at this
stage, the outcomes from the reviews will feed into engagement when
the information becomes available. The Improving Healthcare
Together Programme is also working
closely with other acute providers to
ensure they are not
de-stabilised by this
process.
Members asked how the CCG’s can lead on the provision of healthcare from modern buildings when the power to raise this funding rests with the acute trusts. The Joint Programme Director for Acute Sustainability said
Commissioners will play an important role in developing the pre- consultation business case which will demonstrate if the proposals are affordable, they are also working with regulators and the Trust. Members noted it will not be possible to go to public consultation until support in principle is secured for capital investment.
Supporting documents: