Agenda item

Report of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, attached  

Councillors J Clatworthy and A Dewhirst attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 (2) and spoke to this item. Councillor Clatworthy referred to the impending report of Healthwatch and the minimum impact on Dawlish health care services. Councillor Dewhirst referred to local community objections to the proposals (based on a range of issues) and support for the retention of care services at Teignmouth Community Hospital and the role of the Scrutiny Committee within this process.

Councillor Dewhirst also presented a petition of 2783 signatories against the proposals. 

The Committee considered the Report of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group on the progress of the consultation relating to proposals for the reconfiguration of health and care services in Teignmouth and the Dawlish area. The Report followed previous presentations and updates to this Committee. 

The formal public consultation on the future delivery of services in the Teignmouth and Dawlish areas had ended on 26 October 2020, with more than 1,000 people having taken part. 

Starting on 1 September 2020, the consultation had invited views and comments on a proposal by Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that arose from plans by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) to build a new £8 million Health and Wellbeing Centre in the heart of Teignmouth.  This would house Channel View Medical Group, the local health and wellbeing team, Volunteering in Health and possibly one of the existing Teignmouth pharmacies.  

The proposal for consultation had consisted of four elements: 

(i) Move the most frequently used community clinics from Teignmouth Community Hospital to the new Health and Wellbeing Centre;

(ii) Move specialist outpatient clinics, except ear nose and throat clinics, from Teignmouth Community Hospital to Dawlish Community Hospital, four miles away

(iii) Move day case procedures from Teignmouth Community Hospital to Dawlish Community Hospital; and

(iv) Continue with a model of community-based intermediate care, reversing the decision to establish 12 rehabilitation beds at Teignmouth Community Hospital 

The consultation document had stated that if the proposal was approved, Teignmouth Community Hospital would no longer be needed for NHS services, and it would be likely to be sold by Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust, with the proceeds reinvested in the local NHS. 

The Report outlined the consultation process, the role of Healthwatch, and evaluation of alternative options.

The Director for Out of Hospital Commissioning, CCG responded to Members’ questions and discussion points included:

·         ownership of the Hospital building by the Trust;

·         no planning application relating to the new proposed Hub had been submitted at this point;

·         due to timing the Healthwatch Report on the results of the consultation had not been completed ready for report to this meeting;

·         the process to evaluate the efficacy of the different options prior to the CCG Board meeting 17 December when a decision was expected; and

·         the role of this Committee in assessing the outcome of the consultation process and evaluation of proposals.

Members referred to the need for an opportunity to interrogate the evidence in the interests of transparency so the public could have confidence that the consultation was conducted with rigour and fairness before a decision was made by the Clinical Commissioning Group.

It was MOVED by Councillor H Ackland, SECONDED by Councillor M Asvachin and

RESOLVED that a Spotlight Review be arranged to evaluate the evidence from the final report of Healthwatch and with the benefit of sight of the evaluation process prior to a decision of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body expected at its meeting on 17 December 2020.