Agenda item

Report of Strategic Director Environment and Community

Summary

To consider the progress and current position regarding the implementation of alternative service models for the Horton General Hospital.  To consider also the radical changes in the health sector and the latest position in changes locally.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the good progress in implementing sustainable service delivery models at the Horton General Hospital.

(2)               To urge the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust to implement as soon as possible the revised model for maternity and gynaecology.

(3)               To support the establishment of a Community Partnership Network with membership drawn from local health and social care service commissionaires and providers plus relevant stakeholders.

Approved, with the additional resolution that officers be requested to submit a progress report on the Bicester CommunityHospital to the September or October meeting of Executive.

The Strategic Director Environment and Community submitted a report which sought consideration of the progress and current position regarding the implementation of alternative service models for the Horton General Hospital.  It also sought consideration of the radical changes in the health sector and the latest position in changes locally.

Councillor Les Sibley addressed the meeting as Leader of the Opposition. He commended the work of the Council in supporting the Horton General Hospital and queried if a similar progress report on the Bicester Community Hospital could be provided.

In response to the address of the Leader of the Opposition, the Chairman requested officers to submit a progress report on Bicester Community Hospital to their September or October meeting.

Councillor George Parish addressed the meeting at the discretion of the Chairman as a leading campaigner for the Horton General Hospital.

Resolved

(1)               That the good progress in implementing sustainable service delivery models at the Horton General Hospital be noted.

(2)               That the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust be urged to implement as soon as possible the revised model for maternity and gynaecology.

(3)               That the establishment of a Community Partnership Network with membership drawn from local health and social care service commissionaires and providers plus relevant stakeholders be supported.

(4)               That officers be requested to submit a progress report on the Bicester Community Hospital to the September or October meeting of Executive.

Reasons

A key issue associated with the Horton General Hospital (HGH) is the ongoing sustainability of the agreed service levels when the commissioning body and arrangements will be changing.  There is a perceived threat that the health sector reforms will provide greater competition from the private sector which could impact on the HGH. By having a stakeholder group which brings together the key commissioners and providers i.e. GPs, ORH & OCC, there will be a local focus and dialogue on how this works in practice and to attempt to influence the future commissioning of services from the HRH.

A further issue relates to the extent of public involvement in the services and the new Community Partnership Network.  Each commissioner and service provider is expected to have their own arrangements for this and it will be important not to duplicate and have clarity of responsibility. Past experience does indicate that there is not wide public understanding of the structure and responsibilities of the current health service. In such circumstances and with so much significant change about to happen, it is important at the very least that the new Network does attempt to improve this position.

The principle behind the Community Partnership Network is to have meetings in public with managed, but considerable public participation during the meeting. This worked well for the previous Forum and it is intended to continue for this new body, thereby allowing wider public participation for the sector issues as a whole.

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