To consider the Council’s response to three consultations regarding the future configuration of NHS services in the West Midlands.

That the draft responses attached be agreed.

The Secretary of State for Health has approved consultation on proposals to reconfigure NHS services following the publication of the “Commissioning a Patient Led NHS” the national NHS document which asked all Strategic Health Authorities to undertake an assessment of all NHS organisations focusing on a change in the way services are commissioned and delivered to reflect patient choices.

Strategic Health Authorities, including the proposed West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, will have to develop new approaches to managing their health care as a result of an increased range of health care providers and an increase in patient choice.  The way Ambulance Trusts and PCTs are structured and managed will also have to change to enable them to continue to deliver responsive and efficient services.

National consultation exercises regarding new boundaries for Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and Ambulance Trusts are taking place between 14th December, 2005 and 22nd March 2006.  The consultations relate to changes to organisational boundaries and do not include any proposals for service change.  In terms of SHAs in the West Midlands, the proposal being consulted on is to bring together Birmingham and the Black Country SHA, Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA and West Midlands South SHA, to establish one SHA for the West Midlands that is coterminous with the Government Office for the Region.

For PCTs in the South West Midlands, the proposal is to bring together the current PCTs of Wyre Forest, Redditch and Bromsgrove and South Worcestershire to form one Worcestershire PCT.  Additionally North Warwickshire PCT, Rugby PCT and South Warwickshire PCT would be merged to create a Warwickshire PCT with Herefordshire PCT and Coventry PCT remaining as currently configured.

The proposal being consulted on for ambulance services in the West Midlands is to bring together the current four Ambulance Trusts (Staffordshire; Coventry and Warwickshire; West Midlands and Shropshire; Hereford and Worcester) to be replaced by one Ambulance Trust covering the whole of the West Midlands conterminous with the Government Office for the Region.

The results of the consultation will be reported by the SHA to the Department of Health who will make a final decision on the re-configurations. 

The proposals have been discussed at a series of public meetings across the County including Hereford City, Golden Valley, Ross-On-Wye, Ledbury and Leominster.  In addition, the Health Authority and the Primary Care Trust have met with the Health Scrutiny Committee of Herefordshire Council and the Primary Care Trust PPI forum.  The West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority has also had discussions with local MPs and other stakeholders.  

Copies of the consultation documents on all three consultations are available for information.

Not applicable.