Agenda item

Report of the Director of System Delivery outlining the consultation process and progress to date on Southampton City CCG’s proposal to close the walk-in service at Bitterne Health Centre, attached.

The Panel considered the report of the Director of System Delivery setting out the consultation process and progress to date on Southampton City CCG’s proposals to close the walk in service at Bitterne Health Centre in order to maintain quality community based health services in Southampton. 

The Panel received a presentation from John Richards, Chief Officer NHS Southampton City CCG as well as representations from Healthwatch, Spectrum (Consult and Challenge), local residents and interested parties. 

RESOLVED:

i)  to consider the issues raised at the meeting to prepare and submit a response to the CCG consultation in advance of the 4^th September 2015 deadline; and

ii)  having considered all the issues raised at the meeting the Panel agreed the following response to be corresponded by the Chair of the Committee:

Following extensive consideration of the NHS Southampton City CCG proposal to close the walk in service at Bitterne Health Centre and re-distribute the funding to community nursing and community based care, the Southampton HOSP accept, given pressure on the finite resources, the argument advocated by the CCG within the consultation document. 

The HOSP deliberations have however identified a number of concerns with the proposals that the Panel would like the CCG to respond to at the 1^st October 2015 meeting of the HOSP, if the Southampton CCG Governing Body choose the preferred option, Option 1 – to close the walk-in service, following consideration of feedback and responses. 

The area of concern that the Panel would like assurances on in order to minimise the impact on users of the walk-in service at Bitterne, should the CCG Governing Body choose Option 1, are the following:

1.   Lack of awareness of, and confidence in, alternative services to the walk in service

Whilst the Panel accept that alternatives to the walk-in service exist they are concerned that the lack of awareness and confidence in the alternatives could result in either patients not accessing services when they need them, or alternatively, increasing pressure on the emergency department.  Therefore, the Panel would welcome the following for the 1^st October HOSP meeting:

·  An outline communications plan identifying how the CCG will seek to increase awareness of, and confidence in, alternative provision.  The Plan should include specific reference to proposals to target the population who most frequently use the existing walk-in service and should look to engage patients in settings inside, and outside, the health service. 

2.  Accessing services from the east of Southampton

The Panel share the concerns raised throughout the consultation process regarding access to health services from the east side of the city.  The consultation document and supporting papers make no reference to how existing users of the walk-in service travel to Bitterne Health Centre, and public transport links from the east to Southampton General Hospital and the Minor Injuries Unit are a concern.  The Panel would therefore welcome, at the 1^st October HOSP meeting, the CCG to outline their proposals to:

·  Develop understanding of how patients currently travel to the walk-in service

·  Improve access to health services from the east of the city through exploring solutions with bus companies, voluntary transport services and any other alternatives.

3.  Additional requests

Following consideration of the proposal the Panel would welcome some additional actions by the CCG on 1^st October HOSP meeting:

·  The Panel would welcome information on the Prime Ministers Challenge Fund and the aware to Southampton Primary Care Ltd.

·  The Panel encourage the CCG to give consideration to improving their approach to Equality Impact Assessments.