Agenda item

Recommendation: The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is invited to discuss and comment on the proposals outlined in the Norfolk and Waveney ICB public consultation documents, with the Committee’s views forming the Council’s corporate response to the consultation.

The Chairman invited the Chief Executive to introduce this item.

The Chief Executive began by explaining that the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board was undertaking a public consultation on possible changes to the Out of Hours GP Service (which at present has bases in Fakenham and North Walsham); the Norwich Walk-In Centre and Vulnerable Adults Service. The consultation would run until 27th April and members were invited to comment and officers would prepare a response for submission.

The Chairman invited members to speak:

Cllr C Cushing spoke as Local member for Fakenham. He said that the data showed a significant drop in the number of patients using the out of hours GP service at Fakenham but there was no explanation as to why this was happening. He said that demand was there and queried whether it was not being promoted sufficiently and people were not aware of it. He said he would be very reluctant to see it removed.

Cllr V Holliday said that she had worked for the out of hours service at Fakenham for 15 years and she questioned the data and wondered where people were going for treatment. She wondered whether there was a GP available at Fakenham to see patients at weekends and queried the data. She added that it was likely to drive people to A&E to see a doctor. It was important to enhance the service rather than withdraw it.

Cllr S Penfold said that he supported the previous speakers and the questions around data and this was also relevant to the North Walsham service. He added that the town was earmarked in the Local Plan for substantial housing development and this should be taken into account.

The Chairman added that there was already considerable pressure on the ambulance service in rural areas and the out of hours service was more relevant in this context.

Cllr N Housden agreed with Cllr Cushing’s comments and said that the out of hours service should be invested in rather than removed.

Cllr A Fitch-Tillett said that the data could be skewed due to the Covid pandemic, with many people avoiding using medical services to ease pressure.

Cllr M Batey agreed with all of the comments so far. Local services were needed as A&E could not cope with the current numbers using it.

Cllr Holliday said that a theme was emerging of centralising services and the demographic of the district showed that demand for local services was increasing not reducing. She added that GPs were highly skilled and the pathway to treatment would be quicker if a patient was assessed by a GP.

Cllr Penfold agreed that the report was quite broad in its approach and did not make it clear that out of hours appointments related to emergencies rather than routine appointments. He agreed with Cllr Fitch-Tillett’s observation about the impact of the pandemic on the data.

The Chief Executive said that he had noted the comments and would prepare a response to the consultation on behalf of the Council. He said that no one had commented on the Pharmacy First proposals and suggested that local pharmacies were already overstretched. Cllr Holliday agreed and said that it would mean that pharmacists would spend more time assessing patients rather than dispensing drugs and this would then have an impact on the services that they were able to provide.

Cllr Penfold said that the committee were not supportive of any of the proposed options and asked whether this could be reflected in the response.

The Chief Executive said that members could comment as they wished, as elected representatives of their communities. He said there was no doubt that healthcare provision had been heavily impacted in recent years but it was reasonable to raise concerns on behalf of residents.

Cllr Holliday encouraged members to respond to the consultation as individuals too.

It was proposed by Cllr C Cushing, seconded by Cllr S Penfold and

RESOLVED

That the Chief Executive prepares a response on behalf of the Council, including all the points raised by the Committee.