Agenda item

(a) Letter from the Chair to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, and IRP response to an invitation for a representative to attend this meeting and CCG Representation to the IRP (Page 7), attached. 

(b) Report of the Clinical Commissioning Group and letter to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, (Page 15), attached.

(Councillor A Dewhirst attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 (2) and spoke to this item and referred to the continued local community objections to the proposals (based on a range of issues) and support for the retention of the Teignmouth Community Hospital. Councillor Clatworthy attended (under Standing Order 25) and spoke on the possible impacts of the proposals on the Dawlish Community Hospital and assurances from the Clinical Commission Group about capacity and reported views and concerns of the local Member of Parliament and also referred to the Minor Injuries Unit in Dawlish which currently was still closed).

The Committee received:

(a) correspondence to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) from the Chair (Letter dated 5 February 2021)  following the decision at the last meeting to make an informal approach and which sought their support and advice;

(b) correspondence from the IRP (dated 15 February 2021) enclosing representations from the Clinical Commissioning Group (Letter dated 25 February) in response to the Committee’s informal approach to the IRP;

(c) correspondence from the IRP (dated 9 March) commending the continued dialogue between the Committee and the CCG and supporting any proposals to work in partnership to address points of difference and if necessary to seek third party mediation; and

(c) a Report from the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group to this Committee on an update which included the continuation of plans to develop a Health and Wellbeing Centre in Teignmouth, information on intermediate care operations, evaluation of the efficacy of intermediate care and qualitative patient experience care studies.

The Chair of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group and its Director of out of hospital Commissioning (CCG) reported and referred to:

·         the common objectives of the Group and the Committee in helping to ensure efficient health and care services and best outcomes for the local population and generally across the County and including involvement of the wider academic community in developing evidence based strategies and assessments of qualitative (the patient experience) and quantative data; 

·         the CCG’s extensive and independent consultation process and learning points for the future including early engagement with Scrutiny; and

·         the designation of the Teignmouth Community Hospital as a community asset if so determined by the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (owners of the Hospital) and possible future options and opportunities; and involvement of the Local Coastal Engagement Group.

Members’ questions and discussion points with the Clinical Commissioning Group representatives included:

·         the need for early engagement with Scrutiny and close working relations in regard to these proposals and generally through the emerging Integrated Care System;

·         the time critical aspects of the proposals which related primarily to the planning application for the new Wellbeing Centre which had been recently submitted and ongoing planning for Intermediate Care arrangements;

·         assurance from the CCG that services would not be moved from the  Hospital until the alternatives were fully in place and with regular reporting to the Coastal Engagement Group;

·         Members’ concerns about the impact of the pandemic in regard to the CCG’s proposals now and into the future and in view of lack of community nursing and residential care beds in Teignmouth;

·         reassurance that financial reports had been reported and published; and

·         Members’ views on strong local community support for retaining services at Teignmouth Community Hospital.

It was MOVED by Councillor H Ackland and SECONDED by Councillor S Russell and

RESOLVED  that (i) this Committee notes that the actions of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group to remove services from Teignmouth Community Hospital when the Wellbeing Centre is ready for use will result in the Teignmouth Community Hospital becoming an empty building; and as the Hospital sits within the Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust’s estate, no consultation has taken place by the Trust with the Teignmouth area residents on the future of the hospital; and

(ii) therefore, as no consultation process has been undertaken or even suggested by the Trust with respect to the future of the Hospital this part of the substantial change be referred to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the grounds that Scrutiny:

•  is not satisfied with the adequacy of the consultation; and .

•  this Scrutiny Committee has not been consulted, and it is not satisfied that the reasons given for not carrying out consultation are adequate.