[To consider any matters arising from the minutes.]
Minutes:
The Chair took the opportunity to thank most sincerely the CCG Clinical Accountable Officer, Dr Helen Hibbs MBE for her public service to the CCG. She would be stepping down from the role at the end of November. She did however intend to continue in her role at the Black Country and West Birmingham Sustainability Transformation Partnership, until April of next year. The STP was on the workplan for the first meeting in the New Year and so he hoped the Panel could thank her in person. He sought the Panel’s approval to send a letter on behalf of the Health Scrutiny Panel thanking her for her contribution to Wolverhampton CCG. Members of the Panel paid tribute to the work of Dr Hibbs.
The Chair commented that he was very pleased how the last Health Scrutiny Panel had gone at Linden House, where the first part of the meeting had been on the Tettenhall Wood Road GP Surgery consultation. The Panel had received a wide range of evidence from interested parties and he felt the matter had been handled appropriately by the Health Scrutiny Panel. It had been a good example of Local Government Scrutiny out in the heart of the community.
The Chair stated that earlier in the day he had been formally notified of the formal decision of the Primary Care Commissioning Committee. At the meeting a paper had been presented by the Tettenhall Medical Practice withdrawing their previous application to close their branch surgery, but asking to reduce the number of clinical sessions provided from 7 to 4. The committee had considered the proposals and took views from local residents. They agreed to support the proposals as set out in the paper having considered all the options, the outcome of the consultation and the equality impact assessment.
The surgery was currently open for three and a half days a week. From January 2020, this would reduce to two half days and one full day. More appointments would be offered at the main site in Lower Green to ensure the same number of appointments were available to patients. Local patients who were unable to travel to Lower Green surgery would be offered pre-bookable appointments a month in advance and a number of ‘on the day’ appointments would also be ring fenced for patients local to Wood Road. Meanwhile, the CCG would be supporting the practice to explore other models for the future including using alternative clinicians.
A Member of the Panel commented that it was good and bad news. It was clearly good news that the surgery was being saved but bad news that there would be a reduction in service hours at the Tettenhall Wood Road surgery. They hoped that the hours would be increased again in the future should circumstances allow.
A Member of the Panel commented that they thought the wrong approach had been taken. They believed it was a recruitment issue, which needed to be solved. The overall overhead costs would increase on the Tettenhall Wood Road surgery with the reduction in service hours. They believed the Panel would be looking at the issue again in 12-18 months.
Resolved: That the Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Panel write to Dr Helen Hibbs MBE on behalf of the Panel thanking her for her contribution to Wolverhampton CCG.