Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities which reported that NHS Halton and St Helens were undertaking a formal consultation on future plans for the building known as The Cheshire and Merseyside Treatment Centre.  This report was being presented to gain views from the Health Policy & Performance Board as part of this consultation.

The Board was advised that the Cheshire and Merseyside NHS Treatment Centre (CMTC) was located adjacent to Halton Hospital in Runcorn. The CMTC had been operational since 2006 providing a range of Orthopaedic services, to residents of Halton in addition to residents from Cheshire and Merseyside. The CMTC was had ceased the provision of the current Orthopaedic services on the 31^st May 2011.

The Board was further advised that NHS Halton and St Helens had developed a business case which identified a range of options to be considered for the future provision of services on this site.  Four broad options had been identified by the PCT and Runcorn GP Commissioning Consortium as from 1^st June 2011 as follows:-

·        Do nothing- included only to provide a benchmark for cost comparison;

·        Divest- sell the building on the open market guided by an assessment by the District Valuer;

·        Lease- seek through a procurement process an organisation that was willing to take on a lease for the building; and

·     Utilisation- use the asset for local health care provision, if costs including capital charges, depreciation and running costs could be recouped.

It was reported that NHS Halton and St Helens would be consulting with all key local stakeholders in relation to these proposed plans.  The consultation period ran from 6^th May 2011 to 29^th July 2011.

The report, concluded that taking into account the overall mix of benefits, costs and risks and assuming that the covenant did not apply, it was recommended that further work be undertaken to develop the implementation option details for D2 and D3 set out in the report.

The Board also received a presentation from Mr Simon Bank, Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust (PCT), outlining the key issues and benefits within each option.  He also reported that various public events had been arranged in Widnes, Runcorn and St Helens to obtain views from the public.  The PCT had also met with MP’s across Cheshire and Merseyside and would be presenting the report to the Executive Board and Area Forums to enable an open consultation.  The decision would be made in September 2011 and the preferred option progressed fairly quickly.

The following comments arose from the discussion:-

·        Clarity was sought on whether the option put forward could be delivered, particularly in light of the Government proposed change..  In response, it was reported that the options had been through the process of a benefits evaluation and had been led by the GP Consortia.  The proposed options would deliver the best patient experience and the long term needs of patients in Halton;

·        Clarity was sought on whether this would have an impact on the services provided at Halton Hospital.  In response, it was reported that a capital programme was being explored and that it any services in the treatment centre should not be at the detriment of the current provider;

·        It was noted that at the end of the consultation period, the facility would be utilised in the short term in order to recover some of the costs;

·        It was emphasised that it was an excellent facility and that it must be retained for health purposes;

·        It was noted that two questions had been submitted prior to the meeting and a response provide which had been circulated at the meeting and attached as Appendix 1 to the minutes; and

·        Members of the Board indicated that they would send in their comments on the various options.

RESOLVED: That

(1)                     Mr Simon Banks be thanked for his informative presentation; and

(2)          the report, presentation and comments raised be noted.