Agenda item

To receive verbal updates on the role and development of Commissioning Consortia in Cheshire East.

The Chairman welcomed Simon Whitehouse and Jerry Hawker who were attending to talk about progress with establishing GP Commissioning Consortia in Cheshire East; it was explained that these bodies were now known as Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG).  In Cheshire there were 4 Groups to be known as West, Vale Royal, South and East.  A map was circulated showing the boundaries of the Groups and the Local Authority boundaries.  The majority of the population of Cheshire East would fall within the South or East Groups. Although the Health and Social Care Bill was currently going through parliament, work could still continue to manage the transition process from the Primary Care Trust to the CCGs.

Simon Whitehouse explained that the South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) included 16 GP practices and covered Nantwich, Crewe, Alsager and Sandbach and surrounding areas.  At the moment the focus was on maintaining services, developing financial arrangements, building relationships and ensuring good engagement practices were developed.  As part of the engagement process, a Question Time event had been held with the Local Involvement Network (LINk) on 26 July.

Jerry Hawker outlined the position with the East Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Consortia which had 22 GP Practices and a population of around 202,000 people.  To date, work had been carried out on building relationships with the main acute providers including East Cheshire Hospital Trust as well as providers in Manchester and Stockport and developing relationships with the local population; a meeting had been held with the LINk and a Patient Forum was under development.  The Board included a Lay Member and a Nurse.  One of the challenges for the Consortia was the ageing population and management of long term conditions.

During discussion of the item the following points were raised:

      The Commissioning Groups had now been running for almost a year and were based on the former practice based commissioning groups;

      Staffing issues were still to be resolved as the earliest the CCGs could become statutory bodies would be October 2012, although it was likely to be April 2013, therefore staff could not currently be directly employed;

      It was noted that the PCT had previously been overspent but had managed to reduce its debt and Members asked about the current position?  In response, the Committee was advised that at Quarter 1 the PCT was forecasting a balanced position but nevertheless the local health economy was still in a challenging financial position overall.  The Acute Trust and PCT were working closely together to manage financial pressures;

      In relation to Mental Health, it was noted that improvements had been made by the PCT compared with the position it had inherited in 2006.  It was a challenge that there was no in-patient provision in the South Cheshire CCG area, however the Group would continue to work with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS foundation Trust (CWP), the provider of mental health services in the area;

      In relation to the transfer of community services to the East Cheshire Hospital Trust, it was reported that the transfer process had required some financial investment and, at this early stage, work was still underway to assess the success of the transfer for patient care and staff; monthly meetings were being held and it had led to closer working opportunities between the acute service and the community;

      In relation to benefits to patients and the public resulting from the CCGs, it was felt that good quality primary care already existed in Cheshire East so the CCGs would aim to continue this good provision.  They would also look to increase integrated working opportunities and arrangements through the Local Independent Living Teams and with Children and Families Services and through working closely with other health partners, wherever possible;

      Arrangements to establish a Health and Wellbeing Board were underway and a summary of the findings from the recent Visioning Day would be available shortly.  There would be a number of statutory members on the Board and the governance arrangements were being developed.  The role of the Board would include supporting an effective Joint Strategic Needs Assessment that informed commissioning decisions, encouraging effective communications and engagement, and informing the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

RESOLVED:  That the update on the Commissioning Consortia Groups in Cheshire East be noted and Jerry Hawker and Simon Whitehouse thanked for their attendance.