Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive which provided details of proposals by Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group and North Tees to consult upon the reconfiguration of emergency medical and critical care services at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that a report of the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT) into the proposed reconfiguration was attached to the report at Appendix 2.

As a result of the findings of the NCAT report, a public consultation was launched on 20 May 2013 by Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees Clinical Commissioning Group and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group upon the proposed reconfiguration of emergency medical and critical care services at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.  Details of the consultation, which runs until 11 August 2013, were detailed in the report and the consultation document attached at Appendix 3.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that The Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Board and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 required the formation of a joint scrutiny arrangement, where an NHS body or relevant health service provider consulted more than one local authority on proposals to make substantial variations or developments to services.   They provided that all the local authorities whose residents received such services must participate in the joint scrutiny arrangement for the purpose of responding to the consultation, using the method most appropriate to the areas and issues being considered.  Only the joint scrutiny arrangement could then make a report and recommendations back to the organisation proposing the change.  It was therefore proposed to establish a joint Health Scrutiny Committee which would consist of representatives of Hartlepool Borough Council, Stockton-upon- Tees Borough Council and Durham County Council comprising equal representation from each Council. In accordance with the Regulations the Joint Committee would be the vehicle through which the respective Local Authorities would respond to the consultation.  It would be for Durham County Council’s Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee to provide information and representations in respect of the consultation as it impacted upon the residents of County Durham to its nominated representatives.

A protocol and Terms of Reference for the proposed Joint Health Scrutiny Committee had been drafted and were attached at Appendices 5 and 6 of the report.  The protocol proposed the nomination of three representatives from each constituent authority and, having taken advice from the Monitoring Officer, this representation from Durham County Council should be politically balanced which would result in 2 Labour representatives and 1 representative from the Durham Independents Group being required.

Notwithstanding the appointment of a joint Health Scrutiny Committee to oversee the production of a response to the Consultation, it was proposed that a special meeting of the County Council’s Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be held on 23 July 2013, to receive evidence from representatives of the Hartlepool and Stockton CCG and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust in respect of proposals and also to enable members of the Committee to identify their concerns to be fed into the Joint Committees final consultation response.

Councillor Stradling suggested that two of the representatives to the Joint Committee be from the south of Durham/Easington areas.

Resolved:

That:

(i)         the proposed consultation by Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, Durham Dales and Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group and North Tees to upon the reconfiguration of emergency medical and critical care services at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust be noted.

(ii)        the proposed protocol and Terms of Reference for the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee detailed at Appendices 5 and 6 be agreed;

(iii)       3 representatives from the Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be appointed to sit on the joint Health Scrutiny Committee;

(iv)       the proposed arrangements for a special meeting of the Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 23 July 2013 be noted

(v)        any representations and key issues which Councillors wish to be raised as part of the Consultation exercise be directed through this Committee’s nominated representatives to the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee.