Agenda item

The Panel received a report from Doncaster’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to provide an opportunity for Members to be consulted on regarding the contractual changes and potential for list dispersal of Barnburgh Surgery, Fox Lane, Barnburgh, DN5 7ET.

It was outlined that NHS England and the NHS CCG drafted an options appraisal which recommended discussion of the following three options;

a.         List dispersal of the registered patient list

b.         Procurement of the practice as a main site of GP services

c.         Procurement of the practice as a branch site of GP services

The Primary Care Commissioning Committee had considered all three options and discussed the benefits and risks of each one which included;

·                 the surrounding area and its rurality;

·                 potential patient concerns;

·                 the bearing on other GP services in the neighbouring areas

·                 Effect on other stakeholders who would be impacted by any decision being made. 

A Task and Finish Group was formed and met weekly to provide weekly updates to the rest of the Committee.

Member’s attention was brought to Appendix B which included a table of NHS CCG communications undertaken with a number of different bodies that included Doncaster HealthWatch, neighbouring providers and the local press.

As a result of the initial consultation and conversations held, it was felt that the NHS CCG needed to demonstrate that all potential options for the surgery had been further explored. It was therefore agreed that the market should be tested for any possible expressions of interest in taking over the practice and that a procurement process should be initiated.  As a result of undertaking this process, three providers expressed their interest in running the Barnburgh surgery (with the intention of the appointed provider running the Surgery from the 9^th May 2018).

A Member of the Panel concurred as a Ward Member for the Barnburgh, that she had been contacted by the Chief Executive of the NHS CCG on several occasions.  It was also added that she had spoken with the Parish Council and heard that the patients involved wanted to keep the surgery.

Members felt that this was positive news.

It was explained that when a procurement process was undertaken, that patients were usually informed of the outcome rather than consulted, but on this occasion as the procurement process and the plans for list dispersal were both being undertaken at the same time, the messages to patients could lead to concerns being raised unnecessarily. Therefore “consultation” had been held off until the outcome for the practice was known and support was being provided by HealthWatch.

The Chair concluded the discussion by making reference to the three options under Regulation 23 of the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013, whereby the Overview and Scrutiny Panel may make comments and recommendations on the proposal consulted upon. That if agreement could not be reached then the Overview and Scrutiny Panel could issue a report to the Secretary of State where:

a.    the Overview and Scrutiny panel is not satisfied that consultation on any proposal has been adequate in relation to content or time allowed;

b.     the Overview and Scrutiny panel is not satisfied that the reasons given by the NHS body not to consult are adequate; or

c.    the Overview and Scrutiny panel considers that the proposal would not be in the interests of the health service in its area.

The Panel concluded that it supported the change and considered that it would be in the best interest of the area and were satisfied that none of the above applied.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.