SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE - 19
FEBRUARY 2004
RESPONSE
TO ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTHCARE STRATEGY
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
At the meeting on 14 October 2003 the Select Committee agreed to undertake its own consultation with stakeholders, patient’s representatives and other interested bodies in order to respond to the proposals contained in the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy.
The consultation process has now been completed and the Select Committee has produced a report containing a number of recommendations based on their consideration of the evidence received.
ACTION
REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
To
consider the following:
(i) That the recommendations contained in the
Select Committee’s response to the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy be
approved
(ii)
That the Select Committee’s recommendations be considered by the meeting of the
Isle of Wight Council on 23 February 2004
(iii)
That the recommendations be submitted to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Strategic Health Authority, the Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust and the Isle
of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust for consideration
(iv)
That the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority, the Isle of
Wight Primary Care Trust and the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust be
requested to provide feedback to the Select Committee on the recommendations
(v)
That the Select Committee’s response be made available to all those who have
participated in, and contributed to, the consultation process
BACKGROUND
The Local Government Act 2000 gave Local Authorities a wider role in health improvement within their local communities. With effect from 1 January 2003 the Health and Social Care Act of 2001 provided a more explicit power for local authorities with responsibility for Social Services to scrutinise health services within the authority’s area. That responsibility now lies with this Select Committee.
In December 2002 the Hampshire and Isle Of Wight Strategic Health Authority (HIOWSHA) published a number of proposals for the development of a strategic framework for the future configuration of local health services entitled HealthFit. The publication of the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy marked the local NHS response to the proposals contained in Healthfit.
As the proposals setout in HealthFit were deemed to be of a substantial nature, the Select Committee agreed to provide a response, along with Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council, to these proposals for the HIOWSHA through the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee.
However, due to the importance of the proposals contained in the Local Healthcare Strategy, the Select Committee also agreed to provide a separate response on these both to the HIOWSHA and to local NHS health bodies. For clarity, this report refers to the Select Committee’s response to the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy.
The Select Committee agreed to undertake its consultation through a series of Select Committee meetings specifically arranged around the themes contained in the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy. In addition, a ‘sweep-up’ meeting was held at Medina Theatre at the end of January to invite views from anyone unable to attend an earlier meeting.
Each meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders, patients’ representatives and other interested bodies to give evidence to the Select Committee on the proposals setout in the Strategy. Invitations to all the meetings were sent to a large number of voluntary organisations, the Association of Town and Parish Councils, Patients Forums representatives, the Executive of the Local Strategic Partnership, and representatives of the private care sector. In addition, representatives from the Council’s Social Services and Housing Directorate and from local health bodies were invited to attend all the meetings.
Three advertisements providing details of the consultation process were placed in the Isle of Wight County Press and a dedicated web page, with links to the relevant NHS web pages was set-up on the Council’s website, Iwight.com. In addition, an article on the consultation was included in the December edition of the Council’s magazine, Wight Insight. The Select Committee also agreed to accept evidence in writing and by telephone.
The Select Committee would like to thank all those who contributed to, and assisted with, the consultation process.
RESPONSE TO
THE ISLE OF WIGHT LOCAL HEALTHCARE STRATEGY
Having received evidence from a wide cross-section of the Island’s community the Select Committee has produced a report outlining their response to the proposals contained in the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy. In accordance with statutory requirements the report contains:
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The new overview and scrutiny responsibility for health is linked to the Council’s Corporate Objectives, in particular “Improving health, housing and quality of life for all”.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
There are no crime and disorder implications arising from this report.
This report has been written in
accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2001, the Local Authority
(Overview and Scrutiny Committees Health Scrutiny Functions) Regulations 2002
and the Directions to Local Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees,
Health Scrutiny Functions)
APPENDICES ATTACHED
None
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
The Draft Local Authority (Overview and Scrutiny Committees Health Scrutiny Functions) Regulations 2002 (Department of Health, October 2002)
Overview and Scrutiny of Health – Guidance (Department of Health, July 2003)
Healthfit: Configuring Health Services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight –(Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority, December 2002)
Directions to Local Authorities
(Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Health Scrutiny Functions)
Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy (October 2003)
HealthFit Strategic Framework (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority, January 2004)
Contact Point: Select Committee and Best Value Support,
Tel 823801, e-mail scrutiny@iow. gov.uk
COUNCILLOR IAN STEPHENS
Chairman, Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee