Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services alerting Members to the publication of a new NHS Long term plan and setting out key messages from the Local Government Association and a response from the Accountable Officer of NHS North East London Commissioning Alliance.

A Member commented that the cuts to funding were extremely concerning.

The Integration Programme Manager reported that the City of London Corporation, like others, did receive winter pressures funding and that and that some of these funds had been used to trial the engagement of an additional member of Occupational Health staff to see what value this might add to the services provided in supporting hospital discharge.

Mr Maher reminded Members that 2019 was the final year of the current 5 year NHS plan and that it was proposed that a 10 year plan (called the Long Term Plan) be introduced thereafter. He acknowledged Member concerns around funding cuts and stated that this was particularly concerning around social care. He added, however, that he felt that mental health had made significant gains particularly around the introduction of more specific, measurable goals.

It was highlighted that there was a greater focus on digital care within the Long Term plan with the intention being that all service users would have the right to request an online consultation with their GP by 2022. There was a strong indication that this would be preferable for City workers and also younger people. A Member stressed the fact that City and Hackney CCG were not responsible for the health care of City workers if they were not also resident in the area. The Assistant Director of Commissioning and Partnerships clarified that online consultations would be linked to the users own GP practice and would be dependent on the user being registered with a particular GP. He added that registering for online health services using a work address would be unlikely to be possible. He agreed that, were this not the case, there could be issues around how services were funded and costs falling to City and Hackney CCG. A Member stressed that this had been the case regarding the sexual health services to date. Mr Maher stated that it was his understanding that it was the responsibility of the online service providers to manage the reclaiming of any costs.

A Member referred to the fact that there were reciprocal arrangements in place for UK citizens accessing medical treatment in Europe but that this, nevertheless, required users to pay for these services up front before reclaiming these costs at a later date. She questioned why this was something that the NHS had failed to implement. Mr Maher confirmed that, at present, trust do have the option of reclaiming costs for out of area medical activity but successful reimbursement is inconsistent. The Member added that even private health care providers required money for treatment up front. 

Mr Brown confirmed that the 10 year plan would be considered further at the September 2019 annual JOSCH meeting.

RESOLVED – That, Members note the report.