Agenda item

The Chairman noted that Hillingdon’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy was a broad / overarching document from which others sprang.  The NHS Long Term Plan set out a blue print for the NHS over the next ten years and presented an opportunity to reform and improve local health and care across partners and at a local level.  The legislative proposals included the removal of Competition and Market Authority functions to review mergers involving NHS Foundation Trusts and removing NHS Improvement’s powers to enforce competition.  Concern was expressed that the absence of regulatory controls could exacerbate an already challenging situation. 

The proposal to merge the eight North West London (NWL) CCGs would bring challenges.  It was noted that London Councils had produced a response to the proposals which had been sent to Mr Mark Easton.  Arrangements were also being made for Mr Easton to meet with the Council to discuss this matter further.  Assurances were also being sought regarding the financial arrangements that would be put in place for integrated care if the eight NWL CCGs merged into a unitary CCG. 

It was noted that the Council’s External Services Select Committee (ESSC) had been monitoring action to reinstate palliative inpatient care at Michael Sobell House.  It would be imperative that consultation and proactive conversations were undertaken on the End of Life Strategy at a formative stage to look at what the services needed to look like in the future to meet the needs of the residents. 

Ms Caroline Morison, Managing Director at Hillingdon CCG (HCCG), advised that HCCG had been through the formal process with regard to recommissioning the provision of inpatient palliative care beds at Michel Sobell House.  Due processes had been followed and Harlington Hospice had been commissioned to provide the service, which would also include a 24/7 consultant-led advice line and day centre services.  The mobilisation process had started but there were challenges with regard to the estate and workforce.  These issues had been escalated through East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and CCG communication channels to try to resolve them.  The ESSC would be receiving an update at its meeting on 9 July 2019 with regard to action taken and next steps.  The Chairman commended the work undertaken by ESSC in relation to this issue and holding the relevant organisations to account. 

The NWL collaboration of CCGs had written to partners confirming that the proposals for reshaping the provision of Health Based Places of Safety (HBPoS) in NWL had been paused whilst a view was taken as to the resource implications.  Consideration was also being given to how this would fit in with priorities for Mental Health across NWL.

Homelessness and knife crime were cross-cutting areas of concern that impacted on the health and wellbeing of residents and which required significant partnership response.  It was agreed that ad hoc reports on both of these issues be included on the agenda for the next Board meeting. 

RESOLVED:  That:

1.    the issues raised in the report be noted; and

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