Expert Advisory Team

Our Expert Advisory Team is consistently rated as one of the most valuable aspects of our support programme. 

The Expert Advisory Team free support for the 2009/10 programme has been dedicated to regional or sub-regional networks of OSCs working together on issues of common interest, with the intention of further developing health scrutiny and supporting OSCs in responding to new challenges. 10 days of support was offered to each of the 10 regions through their corresponding scrutiny networks who co-ordinated and led the projects.

We have now received all the bids for this years funded support. Although the most common topic was scrutinising commissioning, a wide range of topics has been brought forward with huge potential for shared learning, regionally and nationally.

Commissioning:
• Responding to regional/sub-regional NHS commissioning arrangements (e.g. Greater Manchester, London, East Midlands)
• Scrutinising specialist commissioning (e.g. East of England, North East)
• Commissioning and health inequalities (e.g. South West, North East)
• Using the JSNA (West Midlands)

Health and social care:
• Personalisation in social care (London)
• Integration of health and social care, with reference to dementia care (South East)

Developing health scrutiny practice:
• ‘Mainstreaming’ health issues into the work of ‘non-health’ OSCs (Yorkshire and Humber)
• Developing approaches to joint working (e.g. West Midlands, North West)
Specific topics:
• Suicide prevalence and prevention (North West)
• Hospital parking and equity of access (South Central)

Building relationships:
• Developing work with NHS Non-Executive Directors (East of England, West Midlands)
• Developing regional networks (e.g. West Midlands)

The projects are now complete, and a publication is due to be launched at the Healthy Accountability Forum on 21st June, entitled 'Getting it Together' which pulls together the learning from the Expert Advisory Support Programme. Several resources were created within the regions, and they can be found below;

Prioritisation process for health scrutiny by a JHOSC - North West

NHS World Class Commissioning and Health Inequalities; A Toolkit for use by South West Region health scrutiny officers and members 

Influencing Health - A Toolkit for Councillors - Yorkshire and Humber

Annual East of England Regional Health Scrutiny Conference, 'Effective Health Scrutiny and Working with Local and Regional NHS Bodies' - Conference 2009 Presentations and Conference 2009 Report

Individual OSCs and LINks will be able to get support from the Team on a consultancy basis; there will be a cost for advisor time and travel. This reflects the reduced grant funding we've had for the programme overall. There is no deadline for submitting individual projects but it is advised that you book at least 4 weeks in advance. Placements delivered on a consultancy basis can be tailored to suit individual needs.

Please contact laura.freeborn@cfps.org.uk for further information.