Issue - meetings

The Panel will hear evidence from Joy Tweed, independent adviser to the Panel.

Joy Tweed, is a member of the Health Scrutiny Support Programme (at the Centre for Public Scrutiny) and an Associate Lecturer at University of Westminster.  A brief summary of the main points that were discussed with the Panel are summarised below:

·        To date 73 NHS Trusts have acquired FT status.  Although the stated policy of ensuring that all acute sector NHS trusts become FT’s is still in place, it is unlikely that this will be achieved by the target date of 2008.   

·        The Governor role will be critical in the new governance arrangements for the FT, particularly in developing links with different stakeholder groups.  As Governors may be from a wide range of lay communities, there will need to be an explicit commitment to train and develop those elected to Governor Role to ensure that they can fulfil these duties effectively.

·        Further information is required as to how the Whittington planned to develop the Membership of the FT.  In particular, details of how patients and members of the public are to be engaged and recruited into the Membership.  This was important as this is the mechanism for ensuring that local people are adequately represented in the Membership and subsequent election to the Council.

·        The Darzi review (of London NHS services) will have important implications for FT’s and the wider acute sector, especially as to how new commissioning arrangements will work (practice based commissioning).  It was noted that there is a t need to develop such commissioning capacity.

·        With the creation of FT’s, it has been inevitable local disputes have arisen between commissioners and providers concerning variations in the nature and level services provided.  With the right of appeal to the Secretary of State no longer available, Monitor has assumed this regulatory role.  It was noted however, that Monitor appeared unwilling to get involved in such local disputes, instead recommending local dialogue as a solution. 

·        The Panel indicated that it would like to learn more about the experiences of other FT’s, particularly in relation to 1) governance issues -  the work of the Membership Council and relationship with the Board 2) financial position – costs of recruiting Membership and maintaining Membership Council 3) benefits that have been derived from new freedoms conferred through FT status.  The Panel asked the independent adviser if some further information could be obtained from 2 or 3 FT’s in relation to these areas. 

Agreed: Independent adviser to obtain information from other FT’s in respect of governance, benefits of new freedoms and finances.

·        The Panel indicated that a visit to the Whittington Hospital would be helpful to guide and inform decision making. 

Agreed: Panel visit to Whittington Hospital be arranged before the next meeting (4^th October).