Issue - items at meetings - Letters to the Chair

A letter has been received from Sussex Community Trust, describing the implementation of changes to Short Term Services agreed at a recent HOSC meeting (copy attached)

92.1    Members discussed a letter from Sussex Community Trust setting out the implementation of changes to Short Term Service with officers from the Trust.

92.3    Mr Brown welcomed the repatriation of beds from Newhaven Downs, noting that the provision of beds so far from the city had always been problematic.

A letter has been received from NHS Sussex regarding the future of the Sussex Orthopaedic Treatment Centre (SOTC) (copy attached)

79.1    Members discussed a letter from NHS Sussex alerting the committee to a change in the management of the Sussex Orthopaedic Treatment Centre.

Letters been received from Sussex Community Trust concerning trust plans to:

(a)       make changes to the Children’s Head Injury Services (CHIS) at Chailey Heritage;

(b)       Enter into a ‘Strategic Partnership Agreement’ with Care UK (copies attached)

61A     The committee discussed a letter sent by Sussex Community Trust  (SCT) regarding SCT plans to remove residential beds from the Chailey Heritage site.

61.1    The SCT Acting Chief Executive, Ms Warde-Robinson told members that there was little or no demand for these beds which have been effectively de-commissioned by commissioners.

61.2    Mr Brown noted that the BHLINK had not been formally contacted about these plans; Ms Warde-Robinson promised to rectify this.

61.3    Members agreed that they did not consider SCT’s plans for Chailey Heritage to constitute a ‘substantial variation’ in services, and that there was therefore no need to consult formally with the HOSC.

61B     The committee discussed a letter sent by Sussex Community Trust  (SCT) regarding SCT plans to enter into a strategic partnership with Care UK.

61.4    Ms Warde-Robinson explained that the proposed partnership would enable SCT to understand better how the private sector works, particularly in terms of contracting and contract management. Any service partnership with the private sector would be led by SCT; the focus of this partnership would be on supporting services around Redhill rather than Brighton.

61.5    members asked to be kept updated on progress.

A letter from the Chief Operating Officer, Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, and the Brighton & Hove City Council Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner, People, has been received (copy attached). This letter includes information regarding plans to make changes to:

a) Short Term Services

b) Community Mental Health services

c) the Carers’ Strategy

Full reports on these issues are included in the papers for the city Joint Commissioning Board meeting on 14 November 2011. The papers for this meeting can be accessed via the council’s website or by following this link:

http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=3310&T=10

51.1    Members considered letters received from the CCG and Adult Social Care with regard to Short Term Services, the city carers’ Strategy and the tender for Community Mental Health services. Members agreed to add all these items to the work programme, and also to receive a report on Long Term Conditions at a later date.

Letters received by the HOSC Chair:

a) Short term care: planned changes to services

b) Long term conditions: planned changes to services (papers to follow)

12.1    Members discussed letters that had been sent to the Chair by city commissioners regarding plans to change the way services are delivered for: a) long term conditions; and b) short term services.

12.2    Members agreed to take more detailed reports on these issues when the new service models have been drafted.