Developing Labour Health Policy

Notes from discussions at our conference on 11th May 2012

Ruth Thorlby’s presentation

NB these are notes from discussion groups,  they are not the agreed policy of anyone.

Not patients – public
Health Watch needs to demonstrate it involves the public
Clinical Commissioning Groups should have Public Participation Groups, Must be accountable to Local Authority,
Direct Citizens Voice
Easy access online booking, demote GPs
Hand power to pharmacist, nurse
Resurrect the Patient Charter
fine hospitals for readmission
annual health checks
preventative impact statement iro policies

Positive: Being near teaching hospitals
Interpersonal skills training for doctors
cancer care is good once diagnosed
Care Quality Commission powers and funding inadequate
NHS contracts should impose whistleblowing duty
Effective complaint process
bullying and stress on care workers – and poor pay and conditions. Should be paid for travel
Democratic accountability – consultation with all levels of staff
need for continuity
Not market drive – Value for money not money as an end in itself
renationalise NHS and cancel Private Finance Initiative contracts

Integrated care
first integrated within health Focus on outcomes, clinically devised indicators
Amount of £
Equality of outcome, experience, or care
Involvement of excluded people in decision making
Free health and social care! non-means-tested model works much better than means tested
Can keep local hospitals open if we change what they do

Life chances
health determinants
health inequalities
life style

Priority Social care
next eradication of competition and marketisation, Prevention of both mental and physical health eg Domestic Violence, employment
Local Authority public health function as a key to democratisation
primary/secondary care patient need strategic health planning
reinstate Community Health Councils
monitor rationing

Tackle inequalities involves all sort of service. not confined to deprived areas
Target resources on prevention
use planning against bad food
importance of Total Place approach to budgets
Scottish social care model might damage economic credibility
NICE is a success story. Rationing should be national not local
Choice about how rather than where you are treated.
Democratic accountability – what happens elsewhere? Often LAs in other places have influence over health
Strengthen Health and Wellbeing Boards

Food: Need for education, when young. Traffic light system for packaged food. Budget meals
money saving expert

How can the government work to reduce health inequalities?
Using the stop Smoking Campaign as an example for strong legislation impacting on health outcomes

Address the determinants of health within and across departments
Anxiety around health and well being boards

NHS as a representative of the government to reduce inequalities.
Public service equality duty – after equalities act. It’s illegal to treat people differently if their needs are the same. To be considered in provision of services and to be applied to the NHS
Postcode lottery in relation to diseases
Ghost patients – Alison Pollock
How will we get national statistics on health if there is disaggregation
Worry about impractical efficiency saving
Services working together –
Housing
Community safety
Education and employment
How are they going to work together in the well being boards?

Using the example of Scotland for delivering seamless quality care on the health and social care together
Community services being housed in different and wide ranging places. Local Authority should resume control of community health services that have been taken away from PCT in the commissioner/provider split

Pharmacy services. Will Clinical Commissioning Groups pay for this?

Self care – how to invest in this to keep people out of hospital
Accessing services to be invested in so people don’t use a&e as an option for primary care.

Is there patient dissatisfaction with NHS?

Fracturing of services is a big issue as it creates a mess and pathways are too complex for people to access services. Fragmentation of services with be influenced by the bill.

 Labour Party Policy Making