Agenda item

Janet Spurling, Scrutiny Officer, submitted an updated response to the above Scrutiny Review following the referral back to the Select Commission by Cabinet (Minute No. 86 refers) for further consideration.

A special meeting of the Select Commission had been held on 15^th January to which NHS England South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Area Team and the Clinical Commissioning Group had attended to provide further information.  The Care Quality Commission had also been invited due to their forthcoming inspections of Rotherham GP practices.

Also, since the Review had been carried out, there had been changes in the NHS that had impacted upon the original Review recommendations.

The updated version of the responses were attached at appendix 1 of the report submitted for consideration. 

Attention was drawn to the following issues:-

-          Each GP practice was an individual business and NHS England could not dictate how they operated/organised themselves as long as they met their contractual requirements

-          A new Primary Care Strategy was being developed with engagement with the public, patients and GPs due to commence in June 

-          NHS England had visited the GP practice that had been in the news recently regarding waiting time for an appointment.  It had been clarified that that was not the case for those in need of urgent/immediate care but was for routine appointments

-          Recently published LGA report on Planning and Public Health would be considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board which stated that Planning should take into account Public Health in all its functions including exercise

-          A Limited Trust was to be set up for 35/36 GP practices in Rotherham to allow them to bid for funding under a Limited Trust

-          Confusion/concern as to the governance arrangements of such a Trust and GPs’ ability to commission when the CCG had devolved the responsibility for decision making to GPs

Resolved:-  (1)  That the updated response be noted.

(2)  That the Health and Wellbeing Board be requested to ensure responsible agencies report progress to the Board and the Select Commission.

(3)  That the Health and Wellbeing Board be requested to discuss the relevant elements of recommendation No. 7 with regard to Borough-wide publicity and awareness raising.

(4)  To note that further liaison with NHS England and Rotherham CCG has been undertaken to finalise certain timescales and actions.

(5)  That the report be forwarded to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

The following is an extract from the Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group’s Commissioning Plan regarding the concern expressed above:-

“Governance

It is recognised that CCGs taking on delegated responsibility of the commissioning of GP services creates a conflict of interest.  Our Governance section 6.5 outlines our approach to dealing with these conflicts.

Primary Care Sub-Committee

To ensure the effective commissioning of high quality, safe and sustainable primary medical services for the population of Rotherham

·           To oversee the development of an operational plan for safe and sustainable Primary Care Commissioning

·           To oversee the development and agreement of primary care contracts for 2015/16

·           To consider and act on the ‘conflict of interest’ of General Practitioners with reference to Primary Care Commissioning”.

Information on the CCG website shows that the Primary Care Commissioning Committee comprises 3 Lay Members (1 vacancy at present), Chief Officer, Chief Nurse, Head of Co-Commissioning and a representative from NHS England.  Three GPs are non-voting members of the Committee.”