Agenda item

An issues paper for discussion at the meeting is attached.

·        Panel members were required to asses the Primary Care Strategy in the context of it representing a substantial variation in service. That is, the nature of services described in the strategy would be substantially different to that currently provided.  Under statutory regulations this required that the panel assess whether the TPCT:

o       Had consulted Overview & Scrutiny Committee;

o       Had conducted appropriate consultation and public involvement;

o       Had presented proposals in the interests of local health services.

·        The Panel felt that the TPCT had consulted satisfactorily with Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  Given the range and number of public events held, the panel was also of the view that the TCPT had provided sufficient opportunities for the public to engage with and participate in the strategy consultation process.  However, they were of the view that the consultation did not provide sufficient detail to allow the public to fully appraise the proposals or assess the likely implications of the planned changes contained within the Primary Care Strategy.  

·        The Panel considered that the TPCT had presented a clear rationale for the need to modernise the model of primary care delivery in Haringey.  The model of primary care presented was felt to offer a number of significant benefits to patients in Haringey, most notably, extended primary care services and improved access to a broader range of health and social care services.

·        It was noted that the current distribution of primary care services was effectively unplanned.  The panel were therefore of the opinion that the TPCT should adopt a planned approach to the future structure and location of primary care services.  In particular, measures needed to be taken to ensure that general practices were located where the need was greatest and in a manner that addressed health inequalities.  GPs should be ‘selectively incentivise’  to relocate to super health centres. 

·        The Panel requested that the TPCT provide further information on the proposed locations of super health centres and how these ‘hubs’ will operate and interact with remaining  general practice ‘spokes’. In addition, further information should be provided on the anticipated number of general practices that will remain within the super health centre model of primary health care.

·        The Panel had a number of reservations about the financial framework to support the development of the Primary Care Strategy.  Whilst it was clear that resources would be released through the centralisation of GPs in super health centres and through commissioning of secondary care services to be provided in primary care, these would only yield additional revenue in the medium to long term.   The Panel thus considered that a more detailed financial plan needed to be produced for the Primary Care Strategy.

·        The panel could not conclude at this stage that the principles and objectives of the Primary Care Strategy will be fulfilled through plans or documentation currently submitted. 

·        That Panel requested that Haringey TPCT should ensure that Overview and Scrutiny Committee are kept informed of future developments with the Primary Care Strategy.

Agreed:

1. That the above views be communicated to Haringey TPCT as an Overview & Scrutiny response to the Primary Care Strategy.

2. That the TPCT be requested to respond to the issues highlighted in the Scrutiny Review Panel’s response.