To consider further issues regarding the provision of cancer services.

The Committee gave further consideration to issues concerning the provision of Cancer Services.

The report noted that in June the Committee had been informed that the Three Counties Cancer Network Board (CNB), responsible for overseeing the provision of cancer services across part of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and South Worcestershire, was working on a series of action plans for each of the main types of Cancer.  An action plan for the Upper-Gastrointestinal (UGI) Cancer service had so far been agreed.  This proposed the centralisation of treatment at Gloucester.

At an informal meeting between the CNB and representatives of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committees some concern was expressed to the CNB about the lack of any consultation on the service change.  The CNB’s view was that the change was not significant enough to warrant a formal consultation exercise.  However, it had agreed that further information would be circulated to each of three affected Scrutiny Committees and their views on the way forward requested by September 2004.

The Director of Social Care and Strategic Housing had expressed the view that, in the circumstances, there was little to be gained by seeking to request a formal consultation exercise in this instance.  She did, however, think that the Committee might wish to request the opportunity to comment on issues flowing from the proposal, which should be set out in the action plan.  As the additional information promised by the CNB had not yet been received she sought authority to respond to the CNB along those lines on the Committee’s behalf, subject to nothing in the additional documentation from the CNB suggesting a need to reconsider this proposed approach. 

The Director added that the discussions had highlighted the importance of proposals by the CNB, and other networks in the County, being notified to the Scrutiny Committee at an early stage to enable it to assess whether or not emerging proposals were substantial, and the need for protocols governing consideration of future proposals to be agreed.  Members proposed that these points should be brought to the attention of the CNB and other networks and that consideration should be given to developing protocols which would be generally applicable.

The Committee also requested that, in working on the establishment of a Joint Committee to respond to any formal consultation on Cancer Services, consideration be given to whether that Committee could be created as a standing Joint Committee with the ability to respond to consultations on other joint services.

In the course of discussion concern was raised regarding hospital transport arrangements and how an already problematic area would be affected by the centralisation of UGI cancer treatment in Gloucester.  It was proposed that the CNB should be asked to afford the Committee the opportunity to comment specifically on this as one of the issues flowing from the proposal.

That(a)   the Director of Social Care and Strategic Housing be authorised to submit the view to the Three Counties Cancer Network Board on the Committee’s behalf that it does not at this stage wish to revisit the proposed centralisation of Upper-Gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer treatment at Gloucester, subject to there being nothing in the additional documentation supplied by the Board to warrant reconsideration of this view;

(b)         the Director of Social Care and Strategic Housing be asked to request the Three Counties Cancer Network Board that the Committee, or Joint Committee to be established as appropriate, be kept informed of the development of the proposed centralisation of Upper-Gastrointestinal cancer treatment at Gloucester and given the opportunity to comment on issues flowing from the proposal such as patient/visitor travel arrangements including hospital transport entitlement and after care arrangements;

(c)         the Director of Social Care and Strategic Housing be asked to emphasise to the Three Counties Cancer Network Board the importance of proposals being discussed at an early stage with the Committee, or Joint Committee to be established as appropriate, to agree whether or not emerging proposals are substantial and the need for protocols to be put in place as soon as possible to govern how future proposals will be considered.

(d)         in developing protocols relating to the Three Counties network Board, consideration be given to making them applicable to other similar Networks overseeing the delivery of health services in the County and action taken to remind those networks of the expectation that the Committee will be advised of proposed service changes, and consulted upon them when appropriate;

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(e)   that in establishing a Joint Committee to deal with cancer services consideration be given to whether the Committee’s terms of reference might be broadened to allow it to consider issues affecting other joint services should they arise.