Agenda item

Toby Sanders, Director of Primary Care with Leicester City Primary Care Trust, will make a presentation on the new management arrangements for Leicester City Primary Care Trust and Community Services.

Tim Rideout, Chief Executive of Leicester City Primary Care Trust (PCT), tabled a report on the organisational form and direction of travel of PCT provider services, a copy of which is attached at the end of these minutes for information.

Tim Rideout explained that the government’s current view was that the PCT should commission, not provide, health care.  This had been embodied in guidance issued on 5 February 2010, as explained in the Summary of the report attached.  As was also set out in that paper, the Leicester City PCT and the Leicestershire and Rutland PCT were working together to determine future arrangements for their community services. 

Proposals for the integration of the services were set out in the report, from which it was noted that only a very small group of services would be retained by the PCT, in view of its new commissioning focus.  The Committee noted that, as the proposed direction of travel had been accepted by the two PCT Boards and had been considered by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the next stage was to undertake detailed testing of the proposed direction of travel.  Following this, the proposals would be put out for public consultation and subsequent implementation by the end of March 2011.

In response to a question from the Committee, Tim Rideout explained that the success of these proposals would depend on the quality of commissioning of the services, including how the new providers of the services would be held to account.

Zuffar Haq, Co-Chairman of the Leicester City Local Involvement Network, asked why the services had to be provided at arms length through a separate organisation.  He further stated that this appeared to be a very quick change in the way services were provided and expressed the concern that these changes would make them easy services to cut in times of financial restraint.

In reply, Tim Rideout explained that an arms-length body had been established in January 2008.  The possibility of establishing a large Health and Social Care social enterprise had been considered, but the government’s rules precluded this option and it was recognised that it would have had a high cost for low patient benefit.  The options presented for consideration therefore were felt to be the best way forward, although it was recognised that the situation could change depending on which political party, or parties, came to power following the forthcoming General Election.

Zuffar Haq expressed concern that the new proposals would result in people who currently could be treated in the community having to go in to hospital.  This could result in people not receiving care as quickly as they did at present and could be a lot more expensive for the PCT.  Tim Rideout stressed that the investment and focus on services would not be reduced, as the Boards of both PCTs and the Trusts were committed to high quality services.

RESOLVED:

                        1) that the recent national guidance and the implications for Primary Care Trust-provided community services be noted;

                        2) that the emerging direction of travel be supported as the basis for wider engagement and more detailed testing; and

                        3)that it be noted that a more detailed work programme and timeline for Phases 2 and 3 will follow for discussion.