The Officer presented the report that provided Members with the details of the current arrangements in respect of the enhanced service agreement with General Practitioner (GP) practices in Thurrock. The report highlighted the issues and delivery in respect of this agreement and an action plan to improve the delivery and uptake of the service.

Last year’s figures show the uptake in Thurrock is unacceptably poor with only 17 per cent of possible Learning Disability checks carried out and completed in line with the Enhanced Service in 2014/15.

The report also detailed the current state of play in respect of the update and delivery of the Enhanced Service in Thurrock.

Data is also provided in the report which identified the current state of play in respect of the levels of activity which is extracted from GP systems.

Councillor Halden asked how practices who demonstrated a nought per cent in 2013/14 year can be given the opportunity to do the same in 2014/15. Councillor Halden also stated that surely surgeries would be in breach of contract for not undertaking what they signed up to do.

Councillor Key asked NHS England what the reasons were for surgeries not meeting targets and what the plan was to get the 100 per cent uptake. Alastair McIntyre stated that there were a number of reasons but mainly that the enhanced service checks were not the highest priority. To get a 100 per cent uptake was a very tough ask and that further discussions between NHS England and CCG would take place to address this.

Councillor Gupta asked for clarification on where do patients go of the surgeries that declined to take up the offer of the Enhanced Service. Mandy Ansell confirmed that these patients are referred to a separate provider that offers this Enhanced Service.

Councillor Gupta asked how many residents had undergone the enhance service checks. It was confirmed that data was not to hand for this quarter.

Ian Wake compared the figures for Thurrock with Southend and Rochford where a much greater level of health check coverage had been achieved.  He stated that he found it hard to believe that demand for Learning Disability Health Checks from people in Thurrock would be significantly lower, and suggested that this was therefore a problem with the current providers.

Kim James said that HealthWatch had been working on this for nearly seven years with no results or answers. Kim stated that the same conversations were being held and the same answers being given but nothing is being delivered. NHS England were failing the residents of Thurrock and solutions were urgently needed. Kim commented that groups in the community had written to NHS England but had not received any responses.

The Chair agreed with comments raised by Members and Officers and stated that with the practices in place, surgeries should be saying no when there is no intention of them carrying the Enhanced Services.

Roger Harris stated that he applauded those that had declined to take up the offer of the Enhanced Service as they actually realised that they were unable to fulfil the requirement. NHS England should recommend that all practices opt-out of the service and that CCG commission an alternative provider to undertake these checks.

Councillor Key agreed with Roger Harris’s solution as we are already another year down the line with no better results. Councillor Key asked what else the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee can do. Alastair McIntyre agreed that the buck stopped with NHS England and that he would make it his personal commitment to improve the service.

Councillor B Rice commented that this was an unfair and an unjust service that the residents of Thurrock will not put up with for any longer. Lobby Groups with HealthWatch had been ongoing for over four years and it was totally unacceptable. Councillor B. Rice also commented that it was unacceptable that NHS England was only aware of the information in this report late this afternoon.

Alastair McIntyre stated to the Committee that the Enhanced Service levels in Thurrock were not good enough and would take away the committee’s comments and get it right for the population of Thurrock.

Councillor Gupta suggested that the Chair, on behalf of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee write to NHS England to express the Committee’s concerns. The Chair agreed to take this forward.

RESOLVED

1.         That the Health & Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the progress of the Learning Disability Checks by Thurrock GP Practices and the plans to improve activity.

2.         That the item Learning Disability Health Checks be added to the work programme for February 2016.

3.         That the Chair on behalf of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee will write to NHS England expressing concern over the uptake of this service.