Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation of D Gallagher, Executive Director of Place Based Delivery (Central and Tees Valley) North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board which provided an update on the Integrated Care System (for copy see file of minutes).

Councillor Hovvels commented on the simple way the presentation had explored such a complex new way of working and the message had to continue to be shared as such in order for people to understand.

Councillor Holmes asked how it was possible to ensure fair attention was given to all areas in the North East and Cumbria and not just cities such as Newcastle and Carlisle.  The Executive Director of Place Based Delivery advised that the link with Health and Wellbeing Board would continue and the majority of the work would continue to be done locally.  An Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) had also been established from across the North East and North Cumbria, bringing together 13 local councils, hospitals, community services, primary care, hospices, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and Healthwatch across the region.

Councillor Stubbs queried the number of Senior Managers after the transfer and whether there had been any reductions.  The Executive Director of Place Based Delivery advised that the roles were slightly different, but there were likely the same number of posts.

The Interim Project Lead, Healthwatch County Durham advised that all 13 Healthwatch organisations across the locality had been working for more than 12 months to ensure the voice of the patient and public remained and was built into the programme.  A lot of work had been done to ensure it was inclusive and the ICB included a seat for Healthwatch Northumberland.  The Executive Director of Place Based Delivery added that continuing to ensure the local patient voice was heard was essential.

With regards to integrated services, Councillor Andrews was concerned that this could only work with improvements to social care, ambulance wait times and bed numbers.  The Executive Director of Place Based Delivery advised that all partners were working together to consider challenges that would improve the integrated partnership.

Councillor Holmes was aware that big hospital projects would need to be considered by the ICB, but queried how much control they had over services offered in hospitals.  The Executive Director of Place Based Delivery confirmed that as contracts moved across from CCG’s to ICB, they would take on the role of working with local people and stakeholders to make sure they were delivered.  There would be no change, but more leverage over providers if they were not providing the expected level of service.

Councillor Howey was concerned that bigger hospitals with more specialist needs would result in the deterioration of services provided in Durham.  She asked whether the ICB would need to consider proposals such as Bishop Auckland A&E and the Executive Director of Place Based Delivery advised that first the Trust would need to support the proposal and a business case be approved ICB.   This type of proposal would also need national approval and the process had not changed.  There were no plans to downgrade the acute hospital and he highlighted that patients were also transferred from Newcastle and other areas into Durham.  In response to a final question from Councillor Howey, he confirmed that the extension to Durham A&E would need to be approved by the ICB.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer advised that the Committee and other Committees had well-established positive relationships with the former CCG and knew who to contact for service information and member queries. He sought assurances that during the transfer of responsibilities that information on key points of contact and service staff these contacts and positive relationships would continue.

Resolved

That the presentation be noted and regular updates be brought back to future meetings of the Committee.