Agenda item

Report attached.

As Councillor Glen Harrison had, at the start of the meeting, declared a pecuniary interest in this item, he left the meeting during the debate and vote.

A report was submitted, informing Council of two scrutiny reviews carried out at the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28th June 2016.

The first concerned the future of services provided by Calderstones NHS Trust, which ceased to exist on 1st July, as it merged with Mersey Care. The facilities at Calderstones would close in 2018 with patients transferring to alternative care, including other in-patient facilities and community provision. The Chief Executive of the Trust had attended the Overview and Scrutiny meeting, and had informed members that these decisions were as a result of several policies/papers including:

·        Transforming Care

·        Building the Right Support - A national plan to develop community services and close inpatient facilities for people with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, including those with a mental health condition.

·        Homes Not Hospitals

Scrutiny members had expressed a number of concerns, including lack of services for care in the community, ability of private and third sector providers to care for patients with complex needs, displacement of patients away from the area, potential job losses, perceived lack of consultation and the decision not to retain any in-patient services at the Calderstones site, despite the fact the Low Secure Unit there was “state of the art” and built only 2 years ago. Together with the Medium Secure Facility at the site (built only 7 years ago), this had cost £40m of public money. Committee members were particularly concerned by plans to build a new facility elsewhere in Lancashire, at significant expense, despite there being a purpose built facility already in place at Calderstones.

The Committee felt that these concerns should be put in writing to NHS England and was asking the Council to support these concerns.

The second review concerned the proposed Evergreen School, a new free school, providing secondary education to be located in Great Harwood. Trustees of the Evergreen School had attended the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to explain their vision. The Committee felt that the creation of this school fitted within the strategic vision of Hyndburn Borough Council to improve educational standards in the borough and addressed local industry and employment issues. As such, it was recommended that Council support the proposal.

Resolved                            (1)  That Council writes to the Chief Executive of NHS England regarding the closure of in-patient facilities at Calderstones NHS Trust outlining the following concerns:

·        A lack of meaningful public consultation taking place to inform the decision to close the in-patient facilities at Calderstones

·        The decision taken not to retain any in-patient facilities at Calderstones, and to re-site a Medium Secure Unit at Maghull and a Low Secure Unit at a yet unidentified site.

·        The letter should also urge NHS England to reconsider using purpose built facilities at Calderstones for future medium and low secure in-patient facilities.

                                            (2)  That Council gives its formal support to the application for a free school in Great Harwood, The Evergreen School.