Update on the proposed cuts to Mental Health, Learning Disability
and Alcohol Services since the Carers in Hertfordshire meeting on 26.4.06

As you will be aware the consultation period regarding the proposed cutbacks ended on 3 May 2006.  Thank you to all of you who gave opinions and feedback on the proposals to the Primary Care Trusts (PCT’s) and ourselves.  Hopefully you will have seen a copy of our report on the website which was sent to the PCT’s detailing the discussions and conclusion from the carers meeting.

Thank you also to those of you who returned the postcards opposing the cuts and gave them to friends and family for completion.  We were really encouraged to learn that approximately 4,000 postcards were returned by carers, services users, members of the public, health and social care workers.  This has certainly been a useful tool in helping service user organisations and ourselves to illustrate the depth of opposition to the proposed cuts. 

Joint Commissioning Partnership Board (JCPB)

On 11 May 2006 the JCPB convened to hear from the PCT’s the results of the consultation.  The JCPB is the joint health authority and council board who make the decisions as to which services will be purchased and developed in Hertfordshire for mental health, learning disability and substance misuse service users and their carers.

The JCPB heard evidence from the PCT’s on the consultation process and the conclusions it had reached.  The PCT’s stated that there had been insufficient evidence from the consultation to suggest that the cuts should not proceed.  In addition they concluded that alternative solutions to the proposals had not been adequately put forward which could potentially meet the financial deficit.  Strong opposition and arguments were given to the JCPB against the cuts and PCT’s conclusions by service users, carers as well as a representative of united service user and carer organisations.   Despite this the JCPB decided to accept the findings of the PCT’s and recommend that the cuts should proceed as outlined with the following exceptions:

	Seward Lodge Day Centre would not close and that this option would be removed from the proposal.
	Day centres would still be subjected to the same cuts but that efforts would be made to try to preserve the support groups run in the centres in recognition of the number of people who benefit from them.

The next stage was to present the decision of the JCPB to the Scrutiny Committee for consideration before a final decision and actions could be taken.

Scrutiny Committee

Approximately 30 carers, service users, Carers in Hertfordshire workers and other voluntary sector representatives attended a demonstration at County Hall to inform the Scrutiny Committee of the depth of feeling regarding the proposed cuts.   There appeared to be support to the objections from some members of the Committee and general public.  Thank you to all of you who braved the horrendous Hertford traffic to attend the demonstration.  See the photos below as pictorial evidence of the event.  

The Scrutiny Committee is made up of county councillors and over sees the decisions made by the JCPB.  They hold the health authority to account for their decision making to ensure that it is democratic.  The Committee have the authority to refer to the Secretary of State for Health (the government) any matter or decision that can not be resolved.

Evidence was given to the Committee from HPT, PCT’s, health workers, a carer, service user organisations and Carers in Hertfordshire regarding the proposed cuts.  In addition the 4,000 postcards were presented to the chair of the Committee. 

Following lengthy discussion and questioning by the councillors the Committee concluded that they did not accept the PCT’s proposals as they believed that the cuts would not be in the public best interest.  As a consequence Hertfordshire PCT’s financial status and proposal to reduce mental health, learning disability and alcohol services has been referred to the Secretary of State for resolution.  This is as much of a victory as can be expected at this stage! 

The Committee will be passing to Hertfordshire MP’s copies of their report to the Secretary of State detailing their conclusions and recommendations.  The Secretary of State is likely to refer the situation back to the PCT’s to determine if they can find an alternative solution to the proposed cutbacks to mental health, learning disability and alcohol services as outlined in the consultation documentation.  However the accumulated debt will not go away and the PCT’s will be required to find the savings by some means.  Therefore we can conclude that the battle is far from over but that carers and service user’s views have been acknowledged. 

Thank you for your continued support with this important issue and please be assured we will keep you informed of developments as they arise.

Helen Ward
Mental Health and Learning Disability Manager
Carers in Hertfordshire

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