Agenda item

The debacle and disaster that is now the state of Medway surgeries is a direct consequence of Medway CCGs arrogant and dismissive attitude despite my continually warning them of the strongest objections against awarding DMC Healthcare contracts based in patient experience expressed to me at the time.

For two years I have been strongly objecting to Medway CCG’s centralisation policies and still they would not listen. Now since the CQC intervention I have been proved unequivocally correct.

Two years ago Medway CCG were also told the Sunlight Surgery should be viewed as the main surgery - as shown time and again by patient and public preference and evidence I currently have - for reasons of ease of  accessibility and community centre facilities.

Two years ago they were also told that Twydall Surgery was necessary and needed because of the elderly patient population that uses that surgery for accessibility reasons. Again I have current evidence to support this assertion.

For two years Medway CCG has continued to not listen to patient and public objections in telephone complaints, written complaints, objections at meetings. It took the CQC to stop Medway CCG’s determined plans.

Now Medway CCG (under the guise of Kent and Medway CCG) is repeating All the same mistakes again with the allocation of surgeries:

•   Still preferring St Mary's Island as the main surgery

•   Bringing surgeries under that umbrella, including the Sunlight, but omitting any mention of Twydall as branch surgeries

•   Still ignoring patient rights re centralisation of patients’ records.

•   Yes, there are changes happening, slowly - because they have been forced upon the CCG by the CQC.

•   Those few changes made to date have not been sufficiently publicised to reach the wider patient and public audience and still do not appear to be in line with public opinion and wishes.

Patients want and deserve reliable GP services where they need them, not where they are told they can have them.

The CCG is still not listening, still determined to repeat old mistakes in new ways, still determined to pursue their own agenda. As such, I would like the CCG to be forced to hold more and more regular public meetings to ensure patient and public views are actually heard, taken seriously, listened to and acted on, in line with patient opinion and wishes and further that the requested public meetings offer patients and the public alike proper and full insight into CCG proposals and plans for their surgeries before  the CCG enacts their plans. In other words, show the public they have a true and proper and full say in their surgeries' futures.

In light of all the above, what is the Portfolio Holder doing or going to do to hold - and make - the CCG accountable to all patients and the public in the manner spoken of in this submission?

“The debacle and disaster that is now the state of Medway surgeries is a direct consequence of Medway CCGs arrogant and dismissive attitude despite my continually warning them of the strongest objections against awarding DMC Healthcare contracts based in patient experience expressed to me at the time.

For two years I have been strongly objecting to Medway CCG’s centralisation policies and still they would not listen. Now since the CQC intervention I have been proved unequivocally correct.

Two years ago Medway CCG were also told the Sunlight Surgery should be viewed as the main surgery - as shown time and again by patient and public preference and evidence I currently have – for reasons of ease of accessibility and community centre facilities.

Two years ago they were also told that Twydall Surgery was necessary and needed because of the elderly patient population that uses that surgery for accessibility reasons. Again I have current evidence to support this assertion.

For two years Medway CCG has continued to not listen to patient and public objections in telephone complaints, written complaints, objections at meetings. It took the CQC to stop Medway CCG’s determined plans.

Now Medway CCG (under the guise of Kent and Medway CCG) is repeating All the same mistakes again with the allocation of surgeries:

• Still preferring St Mary's Island as the main surgery

• Bringing surgeries under that umbrella, including the Sunlight, but omitting any mention of Twydall as branch surgeries

• Still ignoring patient rights re centralisation of patients’ records.

• Yes, there are changes happening, slowly - because they have been forced upon the CCG by the CQC.

• Those few changes made to date have not been sufficiently publicised to reach the wider patient and public audience and still do not appear to be in line with public opinion and wishes.

Patients want and deserve reliable GP services where they need them, not where they are told they can have them.

The CCG is still not listening, still determined to repeat old mistakes in new ways, still determined to pursue their own agenda. As such, I would like the CCG to be forced to hold more and more regular public meetings to ensure patient and public views are actually heard, taken seriously, listened to and acted on, in line with patient opinion and wishes and further that the requested public meetings offer patients and the public alike proper and full insight into CCG proposals and plans for their surgeries before the CCG enacts their plans. In other words, show the public they have a true and proper and full say in their surgeries' futures.

In light of all the above, what is the Portfolio Holder doing or going to do to hold - and make - the CCG accountable to all patients and the public in the manner spoken of in this submission?”

Councillor Brake thanked Ms Fincham for her question. He said that the Council had the power to review and scrutinise the planning, provision and operation of health services in Medway and in common with many other local authorities the Council had made this the responsibility of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee. One of the most important functions of that Committee was to ensure that the needs and experiences of local people were considered as an integral part of the commissioning and delivery of health services and that those services were effective and safe.

The Committee had the power to ask for information about the performance of local health services and was able to seek independent verification of information provided by health service commissioners and providers. In this context concerns raised by patients in relation to DMC Healthcare operated GP and dermatology services, as well as wider primary care issues, had been considered by the Committee on a number of occasions during the last two years, including most recently on 18 August 2020. In relation to services previously operated by DMC Healthcare, Councillor Brake said that he shared the concerns expressed at Committee meetings that the difficulties experienced by the provider appeared to have been allowed to escalate and that the Committee had not been made aware of the issues sooner.

The Committee expected to be kept regularly updated on the situation. This would include being provided a report that was due to be presented to the CCG Governing Body that would contain findings in relation to the problems experienced by DMC Healthcare. The Committee also expected to be updated on the work being undertaken by the CCG to find a permanent provider to replace DMC Healthcare.

Councillor Brake confirmed that Kent and Medway CCG already held public meetings that enabled local people to raise concerns with these meetings taking place online. While the Committee could not compel the CCG to take a particular course of action, it did require regular CCG attendance at meetings and was able to make formal recommendations to the CCG which must be responded to within 28 days of the request.

Medway Council also commissioned HealthWatch Medway to ensure that the patient voice was heard, with Healthwatch being a non-voting member of the Committee. HealthWatch had a duty to advocate for the local population, specifically in relation to NHS service quality and had published a report that set out their findings on primary care access and DMC Healthcare. He suggested that Ms Fincham may, therefore, also like to get in touch with HealthWatch Medway directly in relation to her concerns.