As you may
hear or see in the media we have had formal notification from Derbyshire CCG’s
regarding funding cuts.
Derbyshire
CCGs face a significant financial challenge. A final decision will take place
in September 2018.
We are presently involved in an “Engagement Process”.
As part of this, we are required to seek the views of our members, volunteers
and clients.
Please can you take the time to fill in this short
questionnaire.
If you would
like to give feedback on how this will affect our services and its potential
impact of discontinuing funding, please email erewashccg.qualityissues@nhs.net
or to: Patient experience Team, Tollbar House, 1 Derby road, Ilkeston,
Derbyshire, DE7 5FH.
Please let us have any of your comments as well.
PRESS RELEASE – Erewash
Voluntary Action – CVS – 9 July 2018
(Un)happy Birthday –
NHS 70th Anniversary Marked by Grant Cuts to Local Charities
Local charity Erewash Voluntary Action – Council for Voluntary
Service is one of dozens of local charities who received an unwelcome surprise
on the 70th Anniversary of the NHS today – a letter from the local
NHS Clinical Commissioning Group telling them that it plans to cut all its
grant funding.
CCG grants pay for a number of CVS services which help older,
disabled and vulnerable people in Erewash keep well, stay independent and have
vital social contact. This includes befriending and shopping, transport
to local community groups, monthly tea dance, and the support via small grants
given to help local voluntary and community groups in Erewash who provide a
range of activities.
Stella Scott, CEO, said:
“The grant funding we receive from the CCG is half of our
income, so this seriously threatens our charity’s services.
“We are only one of a number of organisations receiving this
news today and the impact will be disastrous. Those who rely on our
services – many of whom describe them as a lifeline, without which life
wouldn’t be worth living – will be devastated. So will the volunteers who
generously give so much of their time for free and make these services
possible.
“We had been told that the CCG was under pressure, but to find out
that we are going to lose all our grant is terrible news - especially on a
day when we had hoped to be celebrating 70 years of the NHS and the additional
investment being made by Government’’.
“It’s also short sighted, when health services are under so much
pressure, to slash affordable, community-based, preventative support that does
so much to keep people out of hospital. The CCG’s own equality assessment
says that their cuts will increase social isolation and loneliness, which is a
cause of depression and early death.”
Third Sector Article:
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/derbyshire-council-leader-warns-against-ccg-decision-stop-charity-funding/article/1489810?bulletin=finance-bulletin&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20180808&utm_content=Third%20Sector%20Finance%20Bulletin%20(27)::&email_hash
Response letter from Derbyshire CCG and Healthwatch statement on continuing concerns:
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Representatives from Derbyshire CCG Boards met on Friday 17th August to make their final decision on proposals regarding discretionary funding to the voluntary sector. The VCS proposal will be discussed during the part of the meeting which is open to the public – from 1.00pm – 2.30pm.
UPDATE:
Some questions were raised by board members
about impact on local frontline health services if the voluntary services
disappeared. It was therefore proposed and agreed to delay a decision for a
month, so that ‘rapid service reviews’ can be carried out and to allow further
engagement with county council and those affected. Once this has been done,
another meeting in public will be held to present and agree final proposals
This is unexpected, and slightly better
news than we expected – in the short term at least. While the eventual outcome
might be no different, the delay does mean that the 3 month notice period is
also delayed.
We will continue to make the case for
funding these essential community services.
Local TV and press were also present –
including this report in the Derby Telegraph
WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF ANY DEVELOPMENTS
Message from Ruth George MP
regarding yesterday’s debate on Derbyshire CCGs.
With thanks to Karen
Ritchie, Chief Executive, Healthwatch Derbyshire, for circulating.
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Dear Karen and Nigel
Thank you very much for all your assistance, information and support in
the run-up to yesterday’s debate.
The debate achieved a cross-party commitment to the voluntary sector and
the need for services to be able to continue to operate and form part of
the STP process, and to a further full round of consultation before any
final decisions are made. The minister stated:
“On the voluntary sector, which was the meat of the hon.
Lady’s remarks, it is important to stress that decisions have not been
taken and that a consultation process is under way. The CCGs will have
those discussions with local stakeholders. It is important to be clear
that before taking any final funding decisions on services through the
voluntary and communities sector, that further round of engagement and
consultation with the local communities, local authorities, patients, GPs
and other stakeholders will take place.”
That is at Col 63WH of the full debate which is now transcripted at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-09-04/debates/F7082665-869F-4949-AB8E-BE781BF56D0D/DerbyshireCcgs%E2%80%99Finances
As I had not heard from Chris Clayton on Monday that there would be such
further full consultation, I have written to the Minister to ask him for
details and to reiterate his commitment, and also to Chris Clayton to ask
what the process and timescales will now be, as there are obviously 22
voluntary sector organisations on whom the outcome depends, and who need
as much information as possible on timescales.
Chris’s office have replied to me that it is being discussed this
afternoon and they will “ensure details of further engagement
& consultation events are shared”.
It does look as if more of a statutory process will now be followed and I
hope this will enable the CCGs to properly examine the full impact of the
organisations affected on positive health outcomes.
I also wanted to put on record the whole issue of the scale and speed of
the cuts that are having to made across Derbyshire, and the impact that
will have on both patients and NHS staff and I spoke to the Minister
privately afterwards to reiterate the cumulative impact of the cuts.
I hope this will be helpful overall to the CCG.
Do let me know what more I can be doing to keep up the momentum and
support the fantastic work that you are doing.
With kind regards
Ruth
Ruth George MP
Member of Parliament for High Peak
Maggie Throup MP, Member of Parliament for Erewash, is pleased to announce details of her forthcoming public panel discussion regarding the future of Erewash’s health economy.
As residents will be aware, the recent news that Derbyshire faces a shortfall in excess of £80 million in its health budget for this financial year has caused deep concern across Erewash and has led to the circulation of a number of myths and rumours, many of which are unfounded.
The aim of this meeting is to clarify exactly what savings and changes are being considered and what potential impact these decisions may have on our services here in Erewash.
The public panel meeting will take place on THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2018 beginning at 6:30PM and last for a maximum of two hours. The venue for the meeting will be KIRK HALLAM COMMUNITY ACADEMY, GODFREY DRIVE, KIRK HALLAM, ILKESTON, DERBYSHIRE DE7 4HH.
Membership of the panel will include:
- Dr Chris Clayton, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Erewash CCG
- Mr William Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Derbyshire Community Health Services
- Mr Gavin Boyle, Chief Executive, Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Avi Bhartia, Chairman & Clinical Lead, NHS Erewash CCG
- Ms Vikki Taylor, Director, Derbyshire STP
The meeting, which Maggie will chair, will take the form of a “Question Time” style discussion, with each panel member having the opportunity to outline their role in the decision-making process and the proposed changes, followed by questions from the floor.
Please also note that whilst this will be a public meeting, residents will need to PRE-REGISTER THEIR ATTENDANCE on a first-come-first-served basis to ensure that the venue’s capacity is not exceeded.
**Registration for this event is now open and will close at 5pm on Wednesday 19th September 2018.
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