[tim gilling]

It is expected that the public consultation will start on 28 February for a four month period.

The consultation will be around four options for changes to services. The options are now in the public domain and can be found here:

http://www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/news/view/25

[Marie Manneville]

Hi all

Here at Hampshire County Council we are taking the view that this is a substantial change and are liasing with colleagues about the most effective way to ensure that we respond collectively as and when this is needed. Given the complexity of the subject matter we were wondering if we could use this thread to share issues- and possibly avoid duplication as this process rolls forward?

We have already raised a number of issues with the national team about the consultation events already being oversubscribed and the complexity of the consultation and response documents. Is this of concern to anyone else? let us know if so and we will forward our feedback and any response received.

Thanks

Marie

[Earl Piggott-Smith]

marie mannveille Wrote:Hi all

Here at Hampshire County Council we are taking the view that this is a substantial change and are liasing with colleagues about the most effective way to ensure that we respond collectively as and when this is needed. Given the complexity of the subject matter we were wondering if we could use this thread to share issues- and possibly avoid duplication as this process rolls forward?

We have already raised a number of issues with the national team about the consultation events already being oversubscribed and the complexity of the consultation and response documents. Is this of concern to anyone else? let us know if so and we will forward our feedback and any response received.

Thanks

Marie

Hi Marie, here at wolverhampton, no final decision has been made about whether the proposals are considered to be a substantial change. I think that it would be a very good idea to use this site to share ideas and concerns about the plans - I would be interested in feedback you get as it will be an issue that will be discussed with the new health scruitny chair when they are appointed.

Regards

Earl

[Denise Holden]

Hi all

Just to flag that we have now summarised the consultation document on this ( as the full length version runs to nearly 250 pages) and produced a short briefing note drawing out some possible key lines of inquiry for Members. This will be going on our website shortly and we will let people know how to access this. In the meantime if anybody wants a copy pinged over to them give Marie or I a shout.

I also understand that there may be an extension to the consultation period for HOSCs, following on from a request by Yorkshire and Humber JHOSC? ....but that has yet to be confirmed

[Tim Bowers]

I've been meaning to post something on this subject for a couple of weeks now, just to let everyone know what's happening in Yorkshire and the Humber.

As a network, we've had this isssue on our radar for sometime now - going back to when the first Safe and Sustainable newsletter was distributed back in August / September 2009. With a single surgical centre in the region (based in Leeds), the network has kept a watching brief, particualrly given that the review always stated that 'fewer, larger centres' was one of the objectives.

Clearly, we expected the outcome of the review and associated consultation options to be published sometime ago - until the mini review and analysis of mortality data was commissioned in October 2010 (following the publication of data provided by an independent third party). At that time, when it was first suggested that the consultation would take place in early 2011, concerns were raised with the national team about the potential impact of local elections - not only in terms of timing, but also in relation to the membership of HOSCs following local elections. While we have an extended consultation period (i.e. 4 months rather than the statutory 3 months), I feel such concerns were largely ignored and not given sufficient consideration. Indeed, in the draft communications plan that I've seen, there is little detail around how statutory consultees (i.e. HOSCs) will be consulted as part of the overall consultation phase - with only a passing reference to 'scrutiny bodies' as one of the target audiences.

Nonetheless, with the support of my fellow scrutiny colleagues across Yorkshire and the Humber, we have established a Joint HOSC to examine the proposals in more detail, provide a consultation response and/ or agree an inquiry report/ recommendations. Each of the 15 HOSCs across the region is represented on the joint HOSC, which, to date, has met in public on two seperate occassions. We also had a briefing meeting in January 2011, prior to the JCPCT meeting in February 2011.

The joint committee is being hosted and supported by Leeds City Council (in line with the localy developed and agreed joint health scrutiny protocol) and details from the meetings held to date are available using the following link: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/ieListMeet...&Year=2011 A range of information and additional activities have been identified to help the joint committee gather the necessary evidence to provide a consultation response and/or inquiry report.

In addition, following the post form Denise (from Hampshire County Council), I can confirm that the Joint HOSC (Yorkshire and Humber) is seeking a 3-month extension of the public consultation period, to allow it to complete its review. The national review team have been made aware of this recommendation, however I'm currently drafting the interim report that presents this more formally. The Joint HOSC has invited the Safe and Sustainable Programme Director and Chair of the JCPCT to attend a future meeting, however we are still waiting for details of availability in this regard.

From the initial meetings, it has become clear that patient numbers and associated demographic data will be invaluable to the joint HOSC. As such, I've been working with colleagues from the Specialised Commissioning Group (Yorkshire and the Humber) and the local hospital Trust to ensure that such data is consistently produced and made available.

I hope this gives colleagues a flavour of whats happening in this region, but should anyone have any queries or need any additional information, please e-mail me at: steven.courtney@leeds.gov.uk

[Steven Courtney]

Denise Holden Wrote:Hi all

Just to flag that we have now summarised the consultation document on this ( as the full length version runs to nearly 250 pages) and produced a short briefing note drawing out some possible key lines of inquiry for Members. This will be going on our website shortly and we will let people know how to access this. In the meantime if anybody wants a copy pinged over to them give Marie or I a shout.

I also understand that there may be an extension to the consultation period for HOSCs, following on from a request by Yorkshire and Humber JHOSC? ....but that has yet to be confirmed

Just had a coversation with Jeremy Glyde (Programme Director, Safe and Sustainable) and, while I'm waiting for written confirmation, he outined that the time for HOSCs to respond to the proposals will go beyond the public consultation deadline of 1 July 2011 (which itself will not be extended). I understand it is intended that the analysis of the public consultation will be completed by the end of August 2011: This will be reported to the JCPCT and made available to HOSCs - to help inform HOSC's consideration of the proposals and any reports/ recommendations that may result. Any reports from HOSCs will be presented to the JCPCT in the Autumn, prior to any decision being made. This obviously provides more time for HOSCs to consider the proposals and associated evidence - which is positive.

As part of the Joint HOSC (Yorkshire and the Humber) review/ inquiry, members are keen to hear from the Chair of the JCPCT, the regional SCG representative on the JCPCT and the Programme Director. However, initial feedback on this request/ invitation is less positive, as local SCGs are seen as the consulting bodies that will need to field such requests - effectively ruling out the attendance of the Chair of the JCPCT and the Programme Director. Nonetheless, I'm sure the Joint HOSC will continue to pursue this matter as part of its review.

Hope this update is useful.

[Steven Courtney]

...just received written confirmation from Jeremy Glyde (Director, Safe and Sustainable), as follows:

...although public consultation ends on 1 July scrutiny committees will have the opportunity to receive the initial outcome of consultation in September 2011, so that OSCs may take this into account before submitting a full response to consultation in October. This is effectively a four month extension to consultation. My team will write to OSCs with clarity on the process very shortly once we are clearer on precise dates.


Hope this is helpful.

Steven Courtney

[tim gilling]

Thanks for the update Steven.

This is a very sensible suggestion by the National Commissioning Team - it will allow relevant JOSCs to consider what the JPCT hears from the public consultation in order to frame their own recommendations on proposals. The JPCT will need to report their final decision to relevant JOSCs so that JOSCs can decide whether to refer any contested proposals to the Secretary of State.

[Steven Courtney]

Colleagues,

Earlier today I received a copy of a statement produced by the national team, for circulation to all HOSCs. This provides confirmation of some of the timescales for HOSCs to respond and an extract is provided below:

Safe and Sustainable would like to encourage all OSCs to consider and respond to the proposals set out in the consultation document Safe and Sustainable: a new vision for children's congenital heart services in England ('the consultation proposals') by 1 July 2011.

Safe and Sustainable will share with OSCs key findings of the health impact assessment during the consultation to inform their responses to the consultation, and a more substantive report will be shared in August 2011. An independent report on the outcome of the consultation will also be shared with OSCs in August 2011. The OSCs will then have an opportunity to add to their earlier submissions, should they wish to, until 5 October 2011.

While its useful to have a statement, I am disappointed that this doesn't fully reflect the feedback initially provided by the Programme Director when the Joint HOSC (Yorkshire and the Humber) formally raised the issue of timing. Since that time, at no stage has the Joint HOSC (or the officers supporting its work) been encouraged to make its submission by 1 July 2011. As such, I feel the statement represents an important, albeit subtle, difference in emphasis, which I find somewhat misleading. I also feel that the statement doesn't reflect the position reported to the public meeting held in Leeds on the evening of 10 May 2011.

I have raised these concerns with the region SCG and await a response. However, I thought I'd provide this update to keep this matter on people's radar.

No doubt, colleagues will receive a full copy of the statement through their own scrutiny network and/or other contacts. However, should you need a copy, please email me at steven.courtney@leeds.gov.uk

[tim gilling]

This latest statement seems at odds with the previous statement from Safe and Sustainable. I thought the previous one was very sensible but the latest one seems to conflict.