Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) hon. Members, (b) members of the local authority and (c) the public are consulted about the sustainability and transformation plans being developed for Warrington and its surrounding area.

Mr Jeremy Hunt

We acknowledge that local government are vital in helping to set the strategic direction of health and care service development locally.

The March guidance to Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) leads clarified that submissions should state how:

– partnership arrangements should include local government and explain fit with existing plans, including Health and Wellbeing Strategies and Joint Strategic Needs Assessments;

– systems will work with local government to deliver prevention and public health improvements; and

– the footprint will engage other employers, working with local government, to improve health and wellbeing of local people.

At a regional level, National Health Service arm’s length bodies (ALBs) have:

– worked initially with local authority colleagues to agree footprints and STP leadership;

– offered membership of the four new regional STP boards to Local Government Association representatives (including the potential for involvement in the assessment of initial returns); and

– asked their regional colleagues to continue to work with the STP footprints in their area to encourage them to reflect the knowledge, expertise and experience of local government colleagues where appropriate, e.g. Health and Wellbeing Board leads’ insight into the plans for, and effects on, the local system.

As set out in the NHS Shared Planning Guidance, published in December 2015, the success of STPs will depend on having an open, engaging, and iterative process that involves patients, carers, citizens, clinicians, local community partners, parliamentarians, the independent and voluntary sectors, and local government through health and wellbeing boards. The arm’s length bodies responsible for the NHS Five Year Forward View – NHS England, NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission, Public Health England, Health Education England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – have asked for local engagement plans as part of the STP process, building where appropriate on existing engagement through health and wellbeing boards and other local arrangements. Where plans propose service changes, formal consultation will follow in due course in line with good practice and legislative requirements. The arm’s length bodies will be holding conversations with each area to assess their plans for local engagement.