Agenda item

This report sets out the draft corporate response on the public health white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People and associated documentation.  The City of York Council will submit a corporate response to this consultation, which will be considered by Executive on 15 March and will therefore be finalised during the week commencing 28 February.  This is a later timescale than was originally envisaged as the deadline for the consultation has been postponed to 31^st March 2011.

The response available at the time of publication of the scrutiny papers is  therefore incomplete, but a fuller response will be available at the meeting.  Members are now invited to comment.

Members considered a report, which set out the draft corporate response on the public health white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People and associated documentation. It was confirmed that the City of York Council corporate response to the consultation would be considered by the Executive at their meeting on 15 March.

The Corporate Strategy Manager confirmed that she was not aware of any updates to the response, following consultation, but confirmed that members were still able make additional comments for consideration at the Executive meeting.

Members expressed a number of concerns and pointed out that the draft response appeared inadequate with a number of omissions which included:

• That the response did not appear to reflect the comments and views of members at set out in the minutes of the meeting on 24 January 2011.
• Reference to contradictions with wider policies had not been included.
• Need for a national register detailing who were willing providers for services.
• Monitoring of pandemics etc need to be clear which areas were being retained by Public Health England.
• Reductions in voluntary sector funding.
• Services provided by the voluntary sector to patients with mental health issues.
• GP provider’s overview.
• General public health concerns and privatisation issues.
• Concerns at the wide range of providers of both goods and services and destabilisation of the market.
• Procurement knowledge and quality assessment.
• Considered that York had previously received inadequate funding, therefore there were concerns regarding the development of the allocation formula.
• Increases in life expectancy and possible non-continuation of 10 yearly census and resultant future issues.

The Corporate Strategy Manager pointed out that some of the issues raised were about the wider reforms and not just the Public Health Paper.

Following further lengthy discussion it was

RESOLVED:             That the following issues be recommended to the Executive as additional points for inclusion in the Council’s corporate response to Public Health England at the Department of Health on the White Paper:

·         Question 1 - amend last paragraph on Q1 to add ' this and other sectors' after the message about potential to be undermined.

·         Felt that Question 2 had been misunderstood and that the answer did not adequately answer the question.  Suggested that a national register should be set up to show what providers were 'willing providers'.

·         Q2 – Members were unclear what the question was asking about securing a wide range of providers, and had concerns that this could destabilise the market.  There was a view that 'any willing provider' could lead to contract failures, and that quality needed to be built in to the concept.  Members wished to see local authorities required to ensure that procurement around such specialist areas was undertaken by those with a specialist understanding of the requirements and able to make sound judgments about quality.

·         Questions 6 & 7- Members did not believe that we should be asking for as much as possible to transfer to the local authority - as this risked inappropriate functions being transferred.

·         Question 7 - Concern that some of the broader issues such, as the reductions in benefits would not be addressed through the proposals.

·         Question10 – Members felt that there should be a reference and emphasis on the long-standing concerns that current allocation formulas disadvantaged York.  There were also concerns that in the longer term allocation formulas, which were dependent on the census, would not be sustainable if the census did not continue.

·         The draft response was also not felt to include adequate reference to the issues raised by the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 24 January, and Members requested the Executive to include these issues in any response, if necessary as 'any other comments' if they do not fit within the set questions:

These issues were:

·That 'giving every child the best start in life' reference, concern that changes in benefits would have a knock on effect on families

·Concerns regarding the proposal of working collaboratively with the voluntary sector.  Certain members felt this was a finance issue rather than a holistic approach

·  Reductions in funding from health commissioners (minutes say PCT) for the voluntary sector. eg services for young people may result in further pressure on local authorities

·  Conflict with other governmental policies coming through required joined up thinking to alleviate any problems

·  Regional overview of GP providers required

·Accountability concerns and responsibility to hold commissioners to account

·  Concerns that consortia may have differing outcomes in each area

^·Importance of Health And Wellbeing Board and Scrutiny arrangements in scrutinising the provision of services and the providers ^1.

REASON:                  In order that the Committee’s full response to the governments White Paper can be included in the City of York corporate response.