The Joint Director of Public Health presented a report summarising the key implications of the Health White Paper “Equity & Excellence: Liberating the NHS” which sets out radical reforms to the NHS that will have significant implications for the providers, commissioners and users (patients) of health services.
The Health White Paper also proposes important new powers and responsibilities to local authorities along with other significant changes to the way health services are commissioned and held to account. The Joint Director highlighted the key tasks within the Outline Transition Plans that have been developed between the Council and NHS Barking and Dagenham (NHS B&D) and confirmed that steps will be taken to ensure that the appropriate resources accompany any transfer of responsibility. He also advised that proposals regarding the future NHS management structure will shortly be out for consultation.
The proactive approach taken by the Council and NHS B&D to developing the transition plan means that several aspects can be implemented ahead of schedule and in advance of any resulting legislation. In response to an issue raised regarding the role of local NHS service providers and an example of poor consultation with the local community on services affecting a local area, the Joint Director confirmed that under the proposed new arrangements the Council will be directly involved in the discussions regarding local NHS services and, therefore, in a far better position to influence major service redesign and public awareness
Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of “Healthy”, to:-
(i) Note the scale of health responsibilities that the Council will gain under the proposals for NHS reform; and
(ii) The outline transition plan summarised in paragraph 2.10 of the report.