Agenda item

Key themes highlighted within the report included the publication of the NHS’ Long Term Plan for health on 7 January 2019.  This plan included the creation of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) by 2021 with local plans by April 2019.  Work was moving apace to develop the Hillingdon ICS.  On 14 January 2019, the Leader of the Council and the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board had met with Mr Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England, and raised the Council’s concerns about the underlying financial viability of the health system based on the starting deficit position. 

Work around the reconfiguration of Health Based Places of Safety (HBPoS) in North West London (NWL) continued, with significant opposition to proposals from across local government.  It appeared that consideration had not been given to the impact of the proposed changes on the finances and resources required by local authorities or on A&E departments once the new venues became overloaded.  There was a shared interest in local partners working together on this and options, including legal challenge, would need to be kept open.  Because there had not yet been agreement in NWL, the area was now out of sync with the rest of London and a great deal more work and engagement would be needed. 

The Board noted that the Hillingdon Air Quality Action Plan would be issued for public consultation in the near future.  It was recognised that there were areas in the Borough which were already predicted to be above the air quality limits for annual mean nitrogen dioxide even before considering issues such as a third runway at Heathrow or HS2.  It was agreed that the Health and Wellbeing Board would respond to the consultation.  Should the timescales not permit the Board’s draft response to be considered at a scheduled Board meeting, the draft response would be circulated to Board partners for comment and agreement.  It was also agreed by the Board that submission of the final document be delegated to the Council’s Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services in consultation with the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Chair of HCCG and Chair of Healthwatch Hillingdon.

The Chairman noted that there had been some positive developments in relation to the reinstatement of inpatient hospice provision in the North of the Borough since the Board’s last meeting.  The Council’s External Services Select Committee (ESSC) had held its third meeting to discuss the issue the previous week and there had been some very productive conversations held in the Borough.  Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group (HCCG) had advised East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (NHS) about its commissioning intentions which covered three elements: a day centre, an 8 bed inpatient unit and a 24 hour consultant-led telephone helpline.  HCCG hoped to be in a position to identify a provider by the end of April and have the service back up and running by the summer.  HCCG, and other health partners, had committed to return to a future ESSC meeting at the end of May / beginning of June 2019 to provide Members with an update on progress. 

Concern was expressed that the plan still appeared to be inward looking rather than showing what the actions would mean to residents in practice.  The information included therein was based on existing programmes or buildings and consideration needed to be given to broader use of social media to encourage residents to engage on issues included in the plan. 

RESOLVED:  That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

1.    considered the issues raised at 3.2 of the report, setting out live and urgent issues in the Hillingdon health and care economy.

2.    noted the performance issues contained at Appendix 1 of the report.

3.    should timescales not permit consideration at a scheduled Board meeting, submission of the Health and Wellbeing Board’s consultation response be delegated to the Council’s Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services in consultation with the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Chair of HCCG and Chair of Healthwatch Hillingdon.