Agenda item

The Panel considered the report of the Director of System Delivery (NHS Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group) providing the Panel with an assessment of the impact of the closure of the Bitterne Walk-In Service

Peter Horne, Director of System Delivery - Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (SCCCG), Sue Atkins, Jane Ward, Nick Chaffey, Barbara Webber and Dee Strutt -local residents were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of issues arising from the report including: 

·  The increase in patients attending the Minor Injuries Unit based at the Royal South Hants Hospital and Emergency Depart of the Southampton General Hospital.  The Panel were informed that whilst the number of attendees at the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) was rising there had been a comparative fall in the numbers attending the Emergency department (ED), if you took into consideration national trends.

·  The difficulty of getting a GP appointment in the area.  The Panel noted that the provision of GP cover had not reduced but that some practices had amalgamated.  It was further explained that the Panel were intending to review the issue of primary care in Southampton at a later date.

·  Concerns over the 111 service.  It was noted that residents and Councillors had a number of reservations about the service relating to the training of the staff, the length of time it took to get through, and the repetition of information requested by the call operatives.

·  Transportation links within the area.  Residents noted that there had been no changes to bus services since the closure and that transport to the MIU and the ED was often only possible by taxi.  It was noted that the area had high levels of deprivation and that many household did not have access to a car.  It was explained that the SCCCG had now set up two hubs within the east where access to an appointment from 8:00 am to 8:00pm 7 days a week.

·  A concern that those with health care issues in the east of the City were no longer accessing the correct information or health pathway.  Residents stated that the figures indicated that demand for support from health care and or information, previously available at the walk in centre, had substantially reduced.  The residents expressed concern that people were no longer bothering to access health care and that this was to the detriment of their wellbeing.

RESOLVED that the Panel:

(i)  Noted the progress on decommissioning of the Bitterne Walk in Service (BWIS) and considered the information presented at the meeting and following discussions commented on the report.

(ii)  Noted that the recommendations around the closure of the service, that were the responsibility of the CCG to enact, have been completed.

(iii)  That the Chair would contact the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport seeking further information and updates on plans to improve transportation links from the East of the City to health care facilitates;

(iv)  Agreed to consider the CCG’s emerging Primary Care Strategy at a meeting of the HOSP in 2016/17.That the Panel would look to scrutinise the 111 Service within the City, at a future meeting.