REPORT OF THE

HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

PART II

SURREY AND BORDERS PARTNERSHIP NHS TRUST - PROPOSALS TO RECONFIGURE 24 HOUR ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT (INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES)

1. Further to concerns expressed by Members, Adult Services and Hampshire Primary Care Trust the Chairman wrote to Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust in August confirming that the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee would not support public consultation on the proposals until such time as there was agreement by all key stakeholders about the way forward.

2. Despite this the Trust went to formal consultation in the week commencing 1 September 2008 and an evaluation of the content of the report is that there is no information about the impact of the changes proposed on Hampshire residents. This point, linked with the failure of the Trust to engage key stakeholders in Hampshire and Surrey, including Hampshire Adult Services and Hampshire Primary Care Trust in developing the proposal, is a cause for deep concern. This has resulted in the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee calling in the Trust to give an account for its actions with the possibility of a referral to the Secretary of State for Health.

3. Representatives of the Trust will be attending the next meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 November 2008 to explain its actions.

4. The responses made by the Committee influence and improve the delivery of health services in Hampshire and, in doing so, support the Corporate Strategy aim of maximising well being.

ROAD CLOSURES AND AMBULANCE SERVICE

1. Further to concerns expressed by Members the Committee received an update from The Director of Environment and South Central Ambulance NHS Trust on procedures that take place to ensure that the Ambulance Service is advised of road closures and proposed alternative routes to ensure minimum delay for ambulances attending situations. The Environment Department publishes up to date information on the web including emergency closures within two hours of the commencement of works. As from 1 December 2008 Hampshire Ambulances would have a computer aided dispatch service which would improve services.

WEST SUSSEX PRIMARY CARE TRUST - ACUTE SERVICE RECONFIGURATION

1. Following the referral to the Secretary of State the Independent Reconfiguration Panel has recommended that a full review into the referral should be carried out. However, following West Sussex Primary Care Trust's announcement that it is putting the Fit for the Future decisions on hold, the Secretary of State has written to the Joint Committee advising that he has asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel not to conduct a full review for the time being. This is while the Royal West Sussex NHS Trust (St Richard's, Chichester) and Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust develop proposals for the two to be merged.

4IR521008