Blimey and golly gosh, this is an important one and we shouldn’t have missed it. Here’s a press release from NHS Isle of Wight that we got seven days ago. Sorry about that. Don’t know how it slipped through our (normally tight) net – Ed
NHS Isle of Wight Board Members at their recent meeting heard about the implications of the Government’s Health White Paper, ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’, for the Island’s unique integrated health service and agreed initial steps towards implementing changes to the Island’s health services.
Board Members stressed the need for good governance arrangements both during the transition phase and for the new organisations as they are established.
Outline plans were set out for:
- GPs to take on the commissioning of health services, partially from April 2011 and fully from April 2012 but with some service commissioning to be directed by a National Commissioning Board;
- Some Public Health services to be transferred from the local NHS into the local authority and a national public health organisation in line with the White Paper – further national consultation is expected on the arrangements for this; and
- The Island’s Health Services – Ambulance, acute hospital, community, mental health, learning disability and prison healthcare services – to seek Foundation Trust status from 2013/14.
Kevin Flynn, NHS Isle of Wight Chief Executive said that following a revision of the Executive structure at the PCT, Mark Price, formerly Director of Corporate Affairs at the PCT, has been appointed Programme Director for Organisational Transition.
Revisiting the decisions about the structure of health service
Mr Flynn commented: “For the Island it means revisiting the decisions made in 2005 and 2006 about the structure of our health service. We have already had extensive discussions with Island GPs, a range of stakeholders on the Island including our MP, Councillors and Council Officers, the Strategic Health Authority, the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office. We have sought to explain and gain support for arrangements to implement the White Paper which recognise the issues we face. We will be conducting a wide ranging option appraisal on the future of health provision for the Isle of Wight and what health services might be included in a Foundation Trust for Island.”
The Island’s health services are provided in a variety of ways. Whilst the majority are provided by Islanders for Islanders and our visitors NHS Isle of Wight also has partnership arrangements with mainland NHS Trusts including Portsmouth and Southampton, with Island GPs and community pharmacists. There is also a close working relationship with public sector partners on the Island including Isle of Wight Council and HMP Isle of Wight.
Services must be “both financially and clinically viable”
Mr Flynn continued: “Going forward we must ensure that the Island has a sustainable set of services which are both financially and clinically viable ahead of any potential Foundation Trust application. This would include what subsidy might be required in the future to maintain essential services such as A&E, emergency ambulances, intensive care, maternity and neonatal intensive care.
“The White Paper consultative documents suggested that a special arrangement might be possible for areas which due to issues such as geography might require additional financial support. The option appraisal is required to ensure that we are clear about what a viable and sustainable health service Foundation Trust for the Island might look like.”
Option Appraisal
The Option Appraisal will be undertaken between November 2010 and March 2011. In particular it will identify high cost services that generate the need for subsidy so it is absolutely transparent where these are needed. This will support detailed discussions regarding future payment mechanisms. There will be opportunities for stakeholders, patient, staff and public involvement in the development of the options.
The plans for GP Commissioning Consortia were discussed by GPs and Practice Managers at a conference on 21st October. The GPs believe there should be a single GP Commissioning Consortium (GPCC) on the Island and this is in line with the PCT’s White Paper response. Elections to the Board of the GP Consortium will be managed by Isle of Wight Council Democratic Services and are being held in December.
Programme of cost savings required
Turning to the programme of cost savings required across the health service to meet the challenges of rising demand Mr Flynn said: “Across the public sector we know that there are difficult and challenging times ahead. We are working closely with our public sector colleagues on the Island to deliver services in the most cost effective and efficient way and are working towards a 40% reduction in management costs; a directive made by the Government to all Primary Care Trusts. Money saved by working more closely together will be re-invested in ‘front line’ services. Our Quality Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme seeks to identify across 19 programmes of work where we can save to invest.”
“We saved £11.5m in 2009/10 and are on course to save £7.5m this financial year. But we know that we must save between £10m and £14m per annum over the next three to four years to safeguard essential services and ensure that the Island’s Provider Services will be viable both clinically and financially to support the plan for Provider Services to become a Foundation Trust. We are doing what we can to avoid redundancies at this stage.”
The responses from NHS Isle of Wight to the Government White Paper and associated consultation documents can be found here.
The paper (‘Enclosure B’) and a paper tabled considered by the NHS Isle of Wight Board meeting held in public on Wednesday 3rd November can be found below, or here
Paper (‘Enclosure B’) – White Paper Update & Emerging Transition Programme
Nhs White Paper Update & Emerging Transition Programme – Enclosure b
Paper tabled considered by the NHS Isle of Wight Board
IW NHS 03-11-10 Board Paper – The White Paper – NHS IoW Next Steps v3
