Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships that gave further information regarding the Better Health Programme which included details of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee’s agreed terms of reference and the minutes of the Joint Committee’s meetings held of 7th and 21st July 2016 (for copy see file of Minutes)

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer advised that three meetings had been held of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee and had representation from a number of Councils.  The footprint for the Better Health programme had changed with North Durham now included in the Northern STP (Sustainability and Transformation Plans).  The BHP Executive would need to do further work on options ready for the start of the public consultation.  A further meeting of the Joint Committee would be held on 13 October and updates would be brought back to this Committee for information.

The Director of Primary Care, Partnerships and Engagement added that this would have implications for the whole of the Durham area as DDES would be at one end of the STP footprint and North Durham at the other end.  It further meant that University Hospital North Durham would move into the Northern footprint.

Councillor Temple asked who had made this decision and was advised that it was the Regional Director of NHS England for the North East and Cumbria.  The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that the STP process had been submitted to NHS England at the end of June/ beginning of July and feedback was received acknowledging that a lot of the patient flow in North Durham CCG area migrate towards the Newcastle area.  To reflect that patient flow a decision was taken to split County Durham into two STP areas.

The Chairman added that patient flow from the Peterlee and Seaham areas can go to Sunderland with patients from the Consett and North Durham areas travelling to Gateshead and Newcastle. 

Members were advised that further details were expected at the Joint Committee and how it would impact County Durham as a whole.  The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer commented that is was highly unlikely that the consultation would commence in November.

The Interim Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services said that clarity would be needed in terms of how this would affect County Durham as a whole including community services and mental health services.  The Director of Primary Care, Partnerships and Engagement said that local authorities were involved in both DDES and North Durham CCGs and recognising the patient flows would be challenging going forward with the wider STP ramifications.

The Chairman thanked the Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer on behalf of the Committee and the Council for the amount of work he had undertaken in respect of the Joint Committee, as Durham had taken the lead in the programme arrangements.

Resolved:

That the information detailed within the report in respect of the Better Health Programme Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be received and noted.