Agenda item

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing an update associated with the new review of congenital heart services in England.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report to help members of the Joint Committee consider an update around the new review of congenital heart disease (CHD) services in England.

The following supplementary information was also submitted and considered at the meeting (minute 21 refers):

·  Letter from John Holden (NHS England), dated 2 April 2014

The following representatives were in attendance to help the Joint Committee consider the information presented:

·  Dr Mike Bewick (Deputy National  Medical Director – NHS England)

·  Dr Bryan Gill (Medical Director (Quality) – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

·  Dr Carin Van Doorn (Consultant Surgeon – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

·  Steven Courtney (Principal Scrutiny Adviser – Leeds City Council)

The Deputy National Medical Director (NHS England) addressed the Joint Committee and briefly outlined the additional details provided by NHS England (through John Holden’s letter, dated 2 April 2014).  This covered:

·  The objectives of the new review;

·  A summary of the engagement work to date;

·  An outline of the range of issues / areas being discussed by the various engagement and advisory groups informing the review;

·  Confirmation of a standards based approach and that NHS England was not currently developing major service change proposals;

·  Confirmation that the draft standards would be the subject of a 12-week public consultation exercise – likely to commence in July 2014.

It was also acknowledged that the original review timetable had slipped as a result of the extensive work being undertaken.

Clinicians representing Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust outlined the Trust’s role and involvement in the new review of congenital heart disease services.  Primarily, the Trust’s involvement was through two different advisory groups established as part of the new review’s overall governance and programme management arrangements – the clinical advisory group and the provider advisory group.  Some of the specific points raised included:

·  Some of the identified knotty issues identified were:

o  Unit size – the total number of procedures and the number of procedures per surgeon

o  Sub-specialisation of particular procedures and where these might be performed.    

·  The increase in procedures was currently running at 16% - compared to the population growth of around 3%;

·  The highest number of procedures (per head of population) was in the Yorkshire and Humber region;

·  It was important to feed in Leeds’ learning (following the temporary suspension of services) into the new review.

The Joint Committee also considered a written submission provided by Children’s Heart Surgery Fund in relation to its involvement in the new review.

The Joint Committee discussed the information presented and raised a number of specific matters, including:

·  An acknowledgement that NHS England appeared to be taking more account of the Joint Committee’s previous observations and recommendations around population and demographics.

·  Confirmation that the change in evidence did not suggest a reduction in the number of units.

·  The need for further details around NHS England’s plan for public consultation.

·  The potential role of HealthWatch as part of any public consultation. 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report and information presented to the meeting be noted and that NHS England’s more transparent approach be welcomed;

(b)  To specifically note that the new review represented a standards based approach and that NHS England was not currently developing major service change proposals NHS England;

(c)  That a fuller and more detailed update around the review and associated process be considered at a future meeting.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the Chair thanked all those in attendance for their contribution to the item and the specific matters raised. 

Councillor L Smaje left the meeting at 12:10pm, immediately after the Scrutiny Board’s consideration of this item.