Agenda and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/163

Contact: John Jackson, Director for Social & Community Services Tel: (01865) 323572

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CMDL4).

This report gives the County Council’s proposed response to ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ (NHS White Paper) consultation questions.   The White Paper has three linked documents for consultation: Commissioning for Patients, Local Democratic Legitimacy in Health, and Transparency in Outcomes.  This report is a response to the first two consultation documents. 

The NHS White Paper sets out a radical agenda of change for the NHS.  The most eye catching has been the proposal to move commissioning from Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to consortia of GPs, with PCTs and Strategic Health Authorities being abolished.  It is proposed that these changes would come into force formally by 2013 but with a transition period.  However, the proposals go much further than this and propose a role and responsibility for local government in strategic planning, public health and the health and well being of the population and supporting integrated and joint working with the NHS.

Responses have to be submitted by 5 October 2010.

The Leader of the Council is RECOMMENDED to consider the responses set out in paragraphs 15 to 25 and in Annex 1 of the report as the County Council’s response to the NHS White Paper, together with any comments on the responses made by the Cabinet Member for Adult Services.

to approve the responses set out in paragraphs 16-25 in the report by the Director for Social & Community Services and in paragraphs 2 and 3 and Annex 1 in the supplementary report by the Director for Social & Community Services and the Director for Children, Young People & Families as the County Council’s response to the NHS White Paper subject to correcting typographical errors.