Agenda item

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer provided the Committee with a presentation of the following press articles which related to the remit of the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

• NHS bosses in England say a new 10-year plan could save up to 500,000 lives by focusing on prevention and early detection. GPs, mental health and community care will get the biggest funding increases to shift the focus away from hospitals. Prime Minister Theresa May hailed the launch of the plan as a "truly historic moment". But unions are concerned that staffing shortages could undermine the ambitions - one in 11 posts are currently vacant.

• HEALTH bosses have recommended a proposal to shut the doors of a rural County Durham GP practice is rejected - but have advised the approval to close another branch. Relates to the Skerne Medical Group proposals but also reflects members concerns about the state of GP service provision across County Durham which has prompted the proposed Review at Item 11.

• Two GP practices serving nearly 8,000 patients are set to merge after plans were given the go ahead by health bosses. Earlier this year, an application was lodged to merge Shotton Medical Practice and Station Road Practice in Shotton Colliery. Due to one practice partner’s plans to retire in 2019, a bid was launched to rebrand the two surgeries under the name Bevan Medical Group. In a business case, the practices said the merger would “better absorb sickness and absence” and potentially allow longer opening hours in future.

• A GP practice is still in special measures after being rated as “inadequate” for the second time in a year. Phoenix Medical Group, which has three surgeries in east Durham, was given the rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).