Agenda and minutes

To receive brief welcoming remarks from the Chair and an outline of housekeeping rules.

The Chair welcomed everyone present to the meeting.  The commissioners were advised that the meeting would be recorded and would be available to listen to on the Council’s website in due course.  Before commencing discussions the Chair asked for all those present to respect other attendees’ views and to refrain from interrupting each other.  

To receive any apologies for absence and to introduce all those present.

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Mark Shurmer.

To receive the Chair’s announcements covering an explanation of the purpose of the commission.

The Chair advised that the overarching purpose of the Health Commission was to provide the public with an opportunity to outline their views about the changes that had been proposed by the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the county to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s (WAHT’s) services. 

The first meeting of the Health Commission provided elected Members with an opportunity to hear from the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG and WAHT about the proposed changes.    During this meeting only Members of the Commission would be able to ask representatives from the CCG and WAHT points of clarification about the information they had provided.  Residents would have an opportunity to outline their views about the proposed changes to hospital services at the subsequent two meetings of the commission on Saturday 14th January and Thursday 19th January 2017.

To receive a presentation from representatives of the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG.

(Presentation to follow)

The Chair explained that the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG and WAHT had asked to deliver a joint presentation on the subject of the proposed changes to acute hospital services.  This presentation was delivered jointly by the Interim Chief Officer of the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG and the Acting Chief Medical Officer from WAHT. (The presentation is attached to the background papers that have been published separately for this meeting).

During delivery of the presentation the following matters were highlighted for the consideration of the commissioners:

·                The role of the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG; the CCG received an NHS budget and was responsible for determining what health care services were needed for the year ahead.  Services were primarily commissioned from external providers negotiated through contract arrangements.

·                The Joint Services Review (JSR) of acute services started in January 2012.  The review process had been complex and contentious and it was acknowledged that this had taken too long to resolve.

·                In 2012 a key problem that had been identified was staff shortages in particular service areas and at certain professional levels.

·                The review had also found that some services were not providing best quality care, clinical outcomes were not as good as wanted and something better was needed.

·                The proposed revised clinical model had been reviewed over the course of the work by three independent bodies,. 

·                Since January 2016 the proposed clinical model had been reviewed further by the West Midlands Clinical Senate who had agreed to support it as the best clinical model available to the local population, taking into account the local context. 

·                Members were advised that the proposed new clinical model would cost the same to deliver as the existing model of service delivery and there was no financial saving to the CCG.

·                There were a number of key points detailed in the clinical model:

-           The principle of centralising services, such as Maternity services, at Worcester Royal Hospital.

-           The move of some services, such as Orthopaedic surgery, to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.  This recognised capacity issues in Worcester and would help to make the Alexandra Hospital a centre of excellence for planned care services such as surgery and gynaecology.

-           Retaining A&E services at Worcester Royal Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital (for adults).

·                Throughout the consultation process the CCG had engaged with the local community who had consistently raised transport, specifically in respect of access to services, as a concern.

·                The Independent Transport Group had been consulted and a range of options identified.

·                Car parking at Worcester Royal Hospital had also regularly been raised as a concern; as part of the proposed service changes a capital bid would be submitted to include £1.6 million for extra public parking at the site.

·                During a three month consultation a trial of demand for a hopper bus would be monitored. 

·                The temporary emergency changes that had already been introduced were designed to move patients to the locations where the experts were based in order to achieve the best  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To receive a presentation from representatives of WHAT.

(Presentation to follow)

(This item was addressed under Minute 4 through the delivery of a combined presentation from the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG and WAHT).

To note written submissions received from University Hospital Birmingham and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

(Submissions attached).

The Chair explained that the original intention had been to hold meetings of the Health Commission in the autumn of 2016 when it had been anticipated that the CCGs’ consultation would take place.  Therefore at this time the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had been invited to comment on service changes within Worcestershire.  As the CCGs’ consultation had subsequently been postponed a decision had been taken to delay releasing these letters until that consultation process had started in order to provide context.  The content of the letters were intended to provide background evidence which would help to inform the Health Commission’s final report.

It was noted that the letter from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had been made public at an earlier stage.  The Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG had responded in writing at this point and they were anticipating that they would hear further from the trust in future.

To note public consultation arrangements and deadlines for the Health Commission’s consultation process.

(Survey to follow)

The Chair reiterated that the two meetings of the Health Commission on 14th January and 19th January would provide opportunities for residents to speak on the subject of the proposed changes to WAHT’s services.  Residents were urged to register in advance to speak at these meetings; registered speakers would be prioritised for speaking.

In addition a survey had been produced to provide residents who were unable to attend the meetings, or who did not feel comfortable speaking at a public meeting, with an opportunity to convey their views to the Health Commission.  The survey could be completed online via a link on the Council’s website.  Paper copies of the survey were also available for residents to access at public venues across the Borough including Redditch Town Hall, the Library, the Palace Theatre, the Abbey Stadium and the One-Stop-Shops in Batchley, Woodrow and Winyates. 

The Council’s consultation process was due to finish on Friday 20th January 2017.  The feedback provide by residents in completed surveys and at the meetings would then be analysed and a report would be prepared.  The commission’s findings would be debated at a special meeting of full Council on 2nd March 2017 when elected Members would form a view about the Council’s formal response to the CCGs’ consultation.

The Interim Chief Officer from the Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG asked for it to be noted that the CCGs’ consultation process would also be taking place during this time, though was due to conclude on 30th March 2017.  The work of the Health Commission formed only part of the CCGs’ consultation process; a range of consultation events and roadshows would be taking place in the Borough and surrounding areas in January and February 2017.  Residents were encouraged to attend these events and to complete copies of the CCGs’ questionnaire as part of this process.