Because there are now so few councillors, some party members with particular areas of expertise are helping us to keep abreast of all the meetings, to make sure nothing falls through the net. The following a report from a member on the Health Scrutiny Meeting on 1st July. She has inspired me to try to do the same for all meetings from now on.
- Report from Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – by Sarah Collis and Sabrina?
This was for info only not scrutiny
- Healthwatch is a charity gathering Patient feedback and presenting the voice of the Patient at various Health system meetings. They have a focus on seldom heard groups.
- They have helped >400 people locally last year – main area is access to GPs
- Govt recently announced they are decommissioning this service – this was the first the organisation had heard of the intentions – they still have not been told officially.
- Little information at present as to who will absorb this role
- Current contract was awarded April 2025 for 3 years so they intend to keep going as usual until they hear more.
- Good working relationship with the Authority and keen to work with new Council
ACTION: Cllr Wheeler asked that we contact Govt to request clarity
Chair will look into what the Committee can do to support and amplify the concern
Healthwatch will send recent annual report to Committee for info.
2. Presentation East Midlands Fertility Policy Review by Alex Ball and Victoria McGregor Riley from the ICB
- The introduction of Bassetlaw into the ICB prompted a review of Fertility services across the East Mids – to inform the statutory requirement of consistency of service across the region. Areas of difference were identified and a Listening Exercise conducted. This report is the first draft summary of that exercise.
- Key area of difference was that in Bassetlaw people with a fertility issue are offered 3 rounds of treatment – everywhere else it is 1. The proposed policy will offer 1 across the board. They are very aware that this is a degradation of service for Bassetlaw. The decision is based on clinical evidence that show 2nd and 3rd rounds of fertility treatment are very unlikely to succeed.
Clinical evidence is also behind not offering services to smokers/vapers and people outside the BMI and age ranges.
The definition of people with a fertility issue caused a lot of debate – particularly that it includes single women and transgender men but excludes couples where one or other partner has a living child.
Cllr Upton was concerned that (following his own research) that we are moving cost from Private sector to public for single women and transgender men which he described as a ‘lifestyle choice’ at the expense of blended families.
Cllr Wheeler concerned what impact of removing services will have when we have a declining population – Victoria responded saying that the overwhelming factor preventing people from having children is financial rather than fertility issues.
It was unanimously agreed that Victoria and Alex will take these concerns to the next stage of policy review.
3 Achieving Financial Sustainability in the NHS – also presented by Victoria and Alex from ICB
- ICB has a legal requirement to achieve budget ballance in this financial year
- Made significant savings last year – still need £280m this year
- This cannot be met by efficiency savings (though these are ongoing) and requires transformational change
- Therefore have identified 8 key work programs
- Trying wherever possible to do this without impact to patient care but it will require changes to frontline staff.
- Any changes will be subject to EQIA assessment
- Biggest area of spend is workforce which will have to be cut.
- Some of the suggestions are
- Tighter controls of contracts
- Rationalisation of community services – more staff who are able to do more things
- Changing palliative care to prioritise dying well at home rather than admitted to hospital
- Removing 10 services provided by vol sector in Bassetlaw (concern over this raised by Healthwatch, this is partly due to those services not being available elsewhere and/or potential for providing differently. Victoria stressed that they do recognise the value of charity provision – this decision is going through their internal process with a decision soon. If made, ICB will support with an exit plan.
Committee requested more detailed breakdown of the proposals across the 8 areas -ICB agreed to this.
4. Work Program for the Committee.
Having a workshop before next meeting to agree priorities
The Labour Party in Rushcliffe 