Agenda item

            The Board received information on the Halton CCG proposal for the future commissioning and governance arrangements for NHS Halton and NHS Warrington CCGs.

 

            The Board was advised that

 

-       a Members seminar had been held with  the Accountable Officer for Halton CCG on 4^th September 2019

-       the Health Policy and Performance Board (PPB) had also met with the Accountable Officer for Halton CCG on 17^th September 2019.

 

            Members of the Health PPB had reiterated the concerns previously expressed by Members at the Seminar which were around:

 

·         the appropriateness of merging Halton and Warrington CCGs;

·         dilution of the Halton Place agenda

·         the timescales involved and the very short period of consultation;

·         the lack of inclusivity in the process with the council and other stakeholders;

·         bias towards the merger model;

·         failure to properly consider and evaluate all options

·         the implications the merge will have on the medium and long term financial funding for health in Halton;

·         the dilution of the Halton GP voice as Warrington has more GP’s than Halton and the wider implications of Halton GPs representation on the new Board; and

·         the lack of financial information provided

 

            Members also expressed concern that although   Dr Andrew Davies offered a number of guarantees he could not provide absolute guarantees to the Local Authority around future funding or governance arrangements.

 

            A letter which had been shared with all Halton members and reflected their comments was circulated to the Board which outlined Halton’s grave concerns and opposition to the proposal for the future reconfiguration of Halton and Warrington CCGs. It was proposed this letter be sent to Dr Andrew Davies at NHS Halton CCG.

 

            It was agreed that a copy of the letter and the Board recommendations from this meeting would also be forwarded to all Halton Elected Members, the MPs for Halton and Weaver Vale, the Halton GP Federations and the NHS Regional Director Mr McCarthy           

 

            RESOLVED: That

 

1.    Halton Council has grave concerns about the proposal for the future reconfiguration of Halton and Warrington CCGs, as recommended by the Halton CCG Accountable Officer, Dr Andrew Davies to the Governing Body of Halton CCG and takes the view that the proposal is not in the best interests of the residents of Halton

 

2.    Halton Council opposes the proposal for the future reconfiguration of Halton and Warrington CCGs

 

3.    Halton Council calls for

a)    the process to be paused as further work is required before any option can be agreed;

b)    a Task Group to be established representing the interests of Halton Council, the CCG, Halton GPs and other relevant partners and stake holders to provide a solution that :-

·         delivers the requisite savings for Halton CCG,

·         ensures the continued focus on the Halton Place,

·         supports the continuation and improvement of services through the integrated and collaborative work already undertaken by the whole system through One Halton; and

·         protects funding levels and service delivery for Halton residents.

 

4.    the Chief Executive write to Dr Andrew Davies in the terms, as set out in the letter circulated to members setting out the position of the Council, and request that he share the letter with the Governing Body of Halton CCG

 

5.    the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board write to the Halton GP Federations in the terms as set out in the letter circulated to members at the meeting setting out the position of the Council and requests they share the Council’s letter with the GP practices in Halton.

 

6.      the Leader of the Council write to the Regional Director for the NHS in the Cheshire and Merseyside Region, Bill McCarthy, in the terms as set out in the letter circulated to members setting out the position of the Council.