Agenda item

The Trust Special Administrator’s report on South LondonHealthcare NHS Trust and the NHS in south east London is attached, along with responses from the committee, King’s Health Partners (KHP)  and the council.

The committee welcomed Professor John Moxham, Director of Clinical Strategy at Kings Health Partners and Michael Marrinan, Medical Director at Kings College Hospital (KCH) and invited them to comment on the Secretary of State’s (SoS) announcement in respect of the Trust Special Administrator’s report.  Mr Marrinan explained that subject to approval by Monitor and the KCH Board, it was likely that KCH would take over responsibility for the Princess Royal Hospital in Bromley.  In terms of Lewisham Hospital, the closure of the obstetrician-led maternity unit would have an immediate impact on surrounding trusts.  It was not clear how the new reduced emergency department would work at this stage and therefore its implications are not understood.  It would be likely to result in an increased level of patient transfers between the sites, and KCH would continue to raise this issue.  The SoS had announced that Lewisham would be retained as a working Emergency Department treating 75% of its current patients – Mr Marrinan was not aware of this model being in place anywhere else and it was therefore difficult to comment on how it might work.  He thought the responsibility would come to the ambulance service to redirect patients to other EDs. 

Councillor Williams asked how much the TSA process links with KHP’s plans.  Professor Moxham’s view was that there is not an enormous link.  KHP would continue its collaboration process and will work on the full business case between March and October.  He was keen to emphasis that improving the care, health and wellbeing of local people lay at the heart of this process. 

RESOLVED

The committee agreed to continue to track the KHP merger and to come back to it when there are opportunities to influence developments.