Issue - meetings

The Board received a presentation in relation to the policy review and engagement exercise for the policies relating to Procedures of Lower Clinical Priority.  The item was presented by Dr David Lyon – Chair NHS Halton CCG and Dave Sweeney – Interim Chief Officer, NHS Halton CCG.

Members were advised that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in parts of Cheshire and Merseyside had been working together to develop a core set of Procedures of Lower Clinical Priority (PLCP) which were more consistent across the region.  GPs and commissioning managers from the CCGs and colleagues from local authorities and public health, were working together to review more than 100 policies to ensure they were making the best use of NHS resources, as well as aligning with the latest robust clinical evidence about the effectiveness of different treatments and national guidance.  From this there was now a consistent set of policies which could apply to patients living in the seven CCG areas.

The report discussed the review and stated that feedback from a 12 week public survey, which was now closed, would be provided to the Board in the last week of November 2017.  As the public engagement exercises were being done in batches due to the number of policies involved, Members would be advised when the next survey was available.

The Chair wished to remind NHS Halton CCG that this review amounted to a substantial variation and should be subject to formal consultation as part of the Board’s scrutiny role.  Also as the changes were over another 6 areas the Board were keen to understand whether the information had been shared with colleagues from the other area’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees and what their views were and whether joint scrutiny should be considered.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    receives the report; and

2)    other Local Authority areas be contacted for their views on the proposed changes.