‘CONSIDERABLE criticism’ has been directed at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group over the way it consulted on a series of sweeping changes to the county’s NHS, it has emerged.
More than 10,000 people took part in phase one of the CCG’s ‘Big Health and Care Consultation’, which seeks to reshape the way health services are delivered in Oxfordshire in response to a growing, ageing population and limited finances.
The CCG has now collated responses ahead of an extraordinary board meeting on Tuesday, June 20.
It noted: “There was considerable criticism of the consultation process and document, including concerns about it being split into two phases, the timing and location of the consultation events.
“Concerns were raised over OCCG’s commitment to listening to people’s views and using them to inform their decision-making.”
In general people were in agreement with proposals to centralise acute stroke care in Oxford and increased outpatient care at the Horton General Hospital.
But ‘almost universal’ concerns were expressed over the future of maternity at the Banbury hospital, which was downgraded to midwife-led status last October, as well as ‘strong support’ for keeping urgent and emergency care at the Horton.
At the meeting in Jubilee House on Tuesday, which the public is welcome to attend from 9.30am, board members will discuss feedback gathered in the three-month process this year before decision-making in August.
In its report, the CCG noted that public consultation was ‘very important’ but stated it was ‘not a referendum’.
This article originally appeared in The Oxford Times
Practitioners planning to consult on controversial changes, and wishing to avoid Judicial Review, may want to consider subjecting the Consultation to Independent Quality Assurance
