Busy Time for Forums

November and December were busy months for the Patient & Public Involvement Forums in Teesside, with lots of activity taking place in the local health arena.

The Acute Services Review Public Consultation took place, which asked for public opinion on the proposal put forward by Professor Darzi, and this became a key issue for many of the Forums. Professor Darzi’s proposals involved the movement of services between the three hospitals in the area, James Cook University Hospital, University Hospital North Tees and University Hospital Hartlepool, and received lots of coverage in the local media. Forums received presentations at their meetings on the Review and were able to ask questions and put forward their comments at these meetings. Lots of Forum members, including those from Langbaurgh, Hambleton & Richmondshire, North Tees, and Middlesbrough PPI Forums, represented their Forums at the various public meetings held by the Primary Care Trusts (PCT), and transcripts of these meetings will be considered when the final decision is made. South Tees PPI Forum and North Tees & Hartlepool PPI Forum were invited to speak at the Joint Committee for Acute Services Review, which is made up of local councillors and is making the final decision. These two Forums, along with Hartlepool several other Forums, e.g. Hartlepool Forum, forwarded a formal response to this Committee and other interested bodies on the proposals. Copies of these responses can be gained via the Forum Support Office at AC Teesside.

The Tees & North East Yorkshire (TNEY) PPI Forum, which works with the local Mental Health NHS services, made their views heard when proposals were made to merge the Tees & North East Yorkshire NHS Trust and Durham & Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust. This would mean that there would be one NHS Trust providing Mental Health NHS services for County Durham, Tees and North Yorkshire areas. The TNEY PPI Forum forwarded a formal response on how they would like such a NHS Trust structured to those making the decisions and other associated bodies. Also, as a merger of the NHS Trusts would also mean a merger of PPI Forums, the TNEY Forum decided to send a formal view on what needs to be considered in such a merger to the Commission for Patient & Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH). Again, those who would be interested in seeing these documents should contact the Forum Support Office.

All this took place while Forums were continuing with their work plan, which included South Tees PPI Forum holding a successful public meeting on Hospital Cleanliness and Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI). This meeting was held thanks to money from the CPPIH Development Fund and aimed to inform the general public of the real situation regarding cleanliness and HAI at James Cook University Hospital and the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton. There were several members of staff from the hospital at the meeting who were able to answer the many questioned asked.

The busy period will continue throughout 2006, with not only the Forums having to complete their 2005/6 Annual Reports and 2006 Work Plans by March, but also making a statement on their relevant NHS bodies performance for the Healthcare Commission Annual Health Check Declarations, which is replacing the NHS Star Ratings system by March, and getting involved with the public consultation on the proposed merger of PCT’s, who commission services such as GP’s, pharmacies and dentist etc. Forums will also be aiming to complete their 2005 Work Plans, all of which are available to those interested from the Forum Support Office, and start on their 2006 Work Plans!