Tag Archives: CHFT

Locala health care company wins massive community health contract in Kirklees but NHS commissioners are saying nowt

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The Health Service Journal has reported that Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group and North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group have finally announced that they have awarded the £285m/£238m (various accounts of the value) contract for Care Closer to Home community health services to Locala, the company that took over Kirklees’ NHS community health services in 2010, under New Labour’s Transforming Community Services scheme.

The Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs),  Locala and the CHFT hospitals trust are still not saying a thing publicly about the contract award, although NK CCG messaged me,

“We are currently continuing to work through the process and will publicise the details when we are able to do so.”

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26th June deadline for Kirklees NHS commissioners to reply to Freedom of Info request about award of £238m contract

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A Kirklees resident is waiting for a reply to his Freedom of Information (FOI) request about the award of a £238m contract for “Care Closer to Home”. This 7 year contract is for community health services that include district nurses, health visitors, speech and language therapy, foot care and physiotherapy. The reply is due on Friday 26th June and Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group FOI team says,

“The CCG is mindful of the response deadline and expects to be in a position to respond by no later than 26th June.”

However, a reply doesn’t necessarily include the information that has been requested. So we shall have to wait and see if it does. Continue reading →

Upper Calder Valley to be “Vanguard” testbed for cost-cutting model of NHS and social care

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Last year saw big protests against proposals to close Calderdale A&E and other acute Calderdale Royal Hospital services like acute paediatrics and complex maternity, and to transfer hospital services for the frail elderly and people with chronic illnesses into GP-run services in four “localities” in Calderdale, in the hope that this will reduce acute and emergency admissions.

Although there is no evidence that this will work, these so-called “Right Care Right Time Right Place” and “Care Closer to Home” plans haven’t gone away – far from it.

Dr Matt Walsh, Chief Officer of Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), told the 11th June CCG Governing Body meeting that these plans are now accelerating, as a result of the Tory government’s pressure since the election. He said,

“Work is going on apace on future models of service delivery.” Continue reading →

NHS bosses to report on plans for Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary at public meeting this afternoon

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Dr Matt Walsh, Chief Officer of Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCC), will update the CCG governing Body this afternoon about the latest plans for the “transformation” of Calderdale NHS and social care. The meeting is public and takes place at 2pm, in a Function Room at Shay Stadium, Halifax.

The Calderdale NHS and social care shake up has been carried out somewhat under the radar since last August, when the Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups backed off from their scheduled autumn 2014 public consultation, in the face of a loud and determined public “No” to their proposals.

These proposals included the closure of Calderdale A&E and other acute hospital services at Calderdale Royal Hospital, such as acute children’s services and complex maternity services, and the transfer of many hospital-based services into the “community,” with the aim of cutting acute and emergency hospital admissions. Continue reading →

#Calderdale and Huddersfield hospitals at risk – fight for them before it’s too late

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Huddersfield Keep Our NHS Public and Save Calderdale Royal Hospital campaigners want NHS chiefs and Calderdale Councillors to come clean about the damage that funding cuts and privatisation are inflicting on our NHS.

Paul Cooney, a member of Huddersfield KONP, said,

“The Trust’s September newsletter really obscures the truth about the Trust’s worsening financial situation. I have previously called for candour and transparency in their public statements. It is time for the Trust bosses to stop pretending everything’s going to be ok and admit that things can’t go on as they are.”

Continue reading →

Best laid plans – Commissioners haven’t yet looked at Trust’s business case for NHS shake up

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At Calderdale Council Adults Health and Scrutiny Panel meeting on 28th July,
Cllr Adam Wilkinson doggedly took the lead in questioning NHS chiefs about their confusing proposals for hospital bed cuts in both the 2014-16 Balanced Plan, and in the Strategic Outline Case.

If you don’t want to read a lot of detail about the scrutiny, you can could read the idiots’ guide to the Scrutiny Panel meeting instead.

The Balanced Plan, which the Scrutiny Panel only found out about through reports leaked in local media,  aims to make cuts and generate new income in order to cope with the Trust’s £20m funding shortfall this financial year and a £19m shortfall in 2015-16.

The Strategic Outline Case proposes to cut acute and emergency hospital care from 2016-17, and replace it with an as-yet unspecified system of care in the community. Continue reading →

Councillors’ Democratic Scrutiny 1, NHS Chiefs’ Smoke and Mirrors 3

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Calderdale Council Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Panel meeting on 28th July failed to effectively question hospitals Trust chiefs about their “Balanced Plan” for meeting a £20m funding shortfall this financial year, and a £19m shortfall in 2015-16.

By failing to provide clear straightforward information, equally the NHS chiefs failed in their duty of candour as public servants.

Chatting after the meeting, a group of Save Our Hospitals campaigners expressed deep scepticism about the conduct of the meeting as well as confusion about what had been said. Continue reading →

Local hospital services are excellent and must stay in place, NHS Campaign Group tells Calderdale Commission

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Plain Speaker is pleased to publish the Submission from the Calderdale 38 degrees NHS Campaign Group to the Calderdale Commission on health and social care.

Over the last 9 months, Calderdale 38 Degrees NHS has held honest discussions with  over 1500 Calderdale residents about the proposals for local NHS cuts and service changes.

This submission summarises their considered views. Continue reading →

Scrutiny Panel calls in Hospitals Trust Chief Exec to explain secret plans for hospital cuts and income from private and overseas patients

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On Monday 28th July, Calderdale Council Adults Health and Social Care (AHSC) Scrutiny Panel is to question the Calderdale and Huddersfield hospitals trust Chief Executive about the Trust’s leaked “Balanced Plan”.

The Balanced Plan shows how the Trust plans to meet its £20m funding shortfall this year. It was a secret known only to the Trust’s Executive Board, until it was leaked to local media a few weeks ago.

An AHSC Scrutiny Panel member has told Plain Speaker there may be an opportunity for members of the public to question the Trust’s Chief Executive, but this depends on the Chairman, Cllr Malcolm James.

Anyone who’d like to put a question to Owen Williams about the Balanced Plan needs to ask the Scrutiny Panel Chair before the meeting, which is at 4.30pm, Monday 28th July, at Halifax Town Hall. The meeting is open to all members of the public, whether or not you’d like to question Owen Williams. Continue reading →

Hospitals Trust’s commercial interests block FOI request for health service shake-up Outline Business Case

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The Hospitals Trust has just refused Plain Speaker’s Freedom of Information request to see the Trust’s Outline Business Case for the “Right Care Right Time Right Place” shake up of health and social care services. This is the document that the Clinical Commissioning Groups will consider and then consult the public about, if they decide to accept the Outline Business Case.

If the public can’t see the Outline Business Case, how can we know what we think about it?

I am asking the Trust to review their refusal. Continue reading →