11        Public Involvement

We have 2 Public Questions for today’s special HOSC meeting.

11(a)   Mr William Barry

My name is William Barry I’m a 70 year old veteran and I am a longstanding patient at the Wellsbourne centre, and have been so happy with the services I have received there, that I chose to remain even when I moved out of area, rather than switch to my nearest GP service. I have been outraged at the way the procurement process has played out, not least because there didn't seem to be any consultation process to speak of, no one seemed to care what the patients think, and I have written previously to councillors and to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting to express my dismay and anger!

I understand from campaigners  that the procurement was judged by an NHS England panel to be deeply flawed, and has therefore been at least paused. I would like to be reassured that this pause will turn into a complete halt, and that we will be able to keep our fantastic GP service exactly as it is. Whitehawk has had such problems with GP provision for in the past, when the figures show that health inequalities persist at such a high level in our city, why would we risk swapping such a successful community interest service for a 'for profit' provider!?

11(b) Mr James Joughin

Polly Toynbee's article in The Guardian suggests that the tender process for Wellsbourne Healthcare was unnecessary and that all the subsequent confusion could've been avoided. Can we be told what the costs to the system have been?  That is, the extra costs for the ICB in running the tender and evaluating the proposals and running three internal appeals, extra costs for the existing practice in preparing its proposal and then defending itself from all the fallout, staff lost amidst the uncertainty, even meetings like this having to be called?

Can we hope that the perverse outcome that shocked patients and the community will give the ICB second thoughts before they embark on the next phase of this process?