Agenda item

Appendix 1 – Sustainability and Transformation Plans in London (the King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust)

Appendix 2 – King’s College Hospital update (To Follow)

Appendix 3 – Healthier Communities Select Committee response to the OSC referral regarding the New Cross Walk-In Centre

Appendix 4 – Letter from the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign regarding the New Cross Walk-In Centre

3.1       The Committee considered a report from the Our Healthier South East London (OHSEL) Board and heard from the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign; the Lewisham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG); and the Executive Director for Community Services. The Committee also considered a report on Sustainability and Transformation Plans in London produced by the King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust; and noted that King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had not submitted an update to the Committee as requested, following the resignation of Lord Kerslake and the decision by NHS Improvement to place the trust into special measures.

3.2       Tony O’Sullivan from the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign spoke to the Committee and made the following key points:

·         The significant organisational change resulting from the local STP should be subject to full public consultation. Campaigners did not accept the contention of the OHSEL Board that only significant service change required full consultation.

·         NHS England and the Department of Health were producing model contracts for Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs) and this could lead the way for private companies, including consortiums, running such organisations, effectively privatising parts of the NHS. OHSEL had previously stated that their programme would not lead to the privatisation of local NHS services so there would appear to be a policy contradiction.

·         A detailed risk analysis of the overall STP project should be carried out.

3.3       The Chair noted that the Parliamentary Health Committee had similar concerns and had written to the Department of Health.

3.4       The CCG commented that the request for a detailed risk analysis would be relayed to the OHSEL Board by the CCG.

3.5       The Executive Director for Community Services stated that ACOs and Accountable Care Systems (ACSs) were different and that whilst model contracts for ACOs might be being developed at a national level, there were currently no proposals for a South East London ACO. Work was, however, being carried out in relation to working in an ACS. It was suggested that a briefing on ACOs and ACSs could be prepared for Members. This was welcomed, however the Committee remained concerned that it was NHS England’s intention that ACSs would evolve into ACOs and that both ACSs and ACOs were forerunners of privatisation.

3.6       RESOLVED: (A) That a referral be made to Mayor and Cabinet in order to:

1.    Refer the King’s Fund / Nuffield Trust report to Mayor and Cabinet.

2.    Ask the Mayor and Cabinet to note that King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust did not submit an update to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as had been requested following the resignation of Lord Kerslake and the decision by NHS Improvement to place the trust into special measures.

3.    Ask the Mayor and Cabinet to conduct a risk analysis of the current situation at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in terms of the impact on the local health economy.

4.    Ask the Mayor and Cabinet to conduct a risk analysis of Accountable Care Systems and Accountable Care Organisations as the Committee is concerned that these systems and bodies, and their implications, are not yet fully understood.

(B) That the Chair of the Committee write to the relevant Health minister to express the concerns of the Committee on this issue.