Issue - meetings

To receive a presentation by Tracey Baldwin and Richard Sumray from National Health Service (NHS) Haringey.

Received a presentation from Harry Turner (NHS Haringey Director of Finance) on the budget setting for 2009/10, which was £30 million less than last year’s budget due to cost, allocation and other pressures. Tracey Baldwin (NHS Haringey Chief Executive) and Richard Sumray (NHS Haringey Director) were also in attendance.

The presentation outlined actions taken to deal with these pressures which had reduced the gap in funding to £16 million.  Further actions had been proposed to further close the funding gap and minimise the impact on services.

The following was noted in response to discussions, concerns and questions:

• It would not have been sensible for the NHS to consult with partners and the public before the budget and acute contracts had been finalised and agreed by the NHS Board.  NHS representatives would return to present the ultimate budget to OSC, when finalised, and extended hours to services (including Neighbourhood Health Centres) in the community to reduce acute spending and numbers of people going in to hospital.  General Practitioners (GPs) and other services would be evaluated to ensure services were delivered productively and with value for money.
• Primary Care Trust contracts would seek improvements in length of hospital stays, out patients appointments and other areas to ensure services did not suffer as a result of lower budgets. 
• There would be less overspend on services such as Mental Health than in 2008/09 and investment plans would also be reassessed and prioritised.
• Despite being reduced, reserve funds were enough to cover increased activities in winter.This would need to be re-assessed in the event of a pandemic.
• The new tariff for acute services (HRG4) made it difficult to assess the impact of the funding gap but any financial risks would be assessed and contingency would be in place. 
• The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Services and the Leader would be asked to write to the Department of Health expressing the Council’s concern at;

-          the late notification of changes in tariffs and the resource allocation formula which had disrupted and delayed NHS Haringey’s budget process

-          changes to the resource allocation formula reducing Haringey to floor level growth of 5.1% baseline and asking for reasons why it was so low; and

-          the introduction of the new national tariff for acute services (HRG4), which, although intended to be cost neutral, has proven to be a cost pressure on NHS Haringey.     

• NHS representatives would:

·        write to OSC with figures about access to sexual health services & Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD). 

·        write to OSC about NHS waiting times for new patients to sexual health services.

·        return to present the NHS Haringey budget to OSC when it had been finalised

RESOLVED

That the presentation be noted.