Proposed by Councillor Darren Dodd

Seconded by Councillor Anne McArdle

That Council condemns the Government’s decision to force through the Health and Social Care Bill despite not having the support of Doctors and Nurses on the front line and ignoring the 170,000 people who signed a petition urging the Government to ‘Drop the Bill’.

Council further notes that the Bill has no safeguards against conflicts of interests despite GP leaders calling for them. This refusal will erode the trust between Doctors and Patients as GPs are forced to decide between the best interest of their patients and the interests of the Commissioning Groups purse. This refusal also allows GPs to set up their own services and commission themselves.

Council therefore calls on the Chief Executive to urgently seek assurances from the three Clinical Commissioning Groups in Wirral that no Commissioning Group Members sit on the Board of, or have a financial interest in, a Health Care Provider from whom they are commissioning services.

Council believes that this is necessary to assure patients in Wirral that they are getting medical advice based on medical need and not financial interest.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2)

Proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist

Seconded by Councillor Ann Bridson

Delete first three paragraphs and replace with:

Council believes that implementation of the Health and Social Care Act will require robust safeguards against conflicts of interest. Council notes that the General Practice Committee of the BMA and the Royal College of General Practice is drawing up guidelines on conflict of interest to guard against damage to GP reputations.

Council notes the governance arrangements for consortia will require all consortia to have a constitution that sets out how the consortium makes decisions, how it deals with conflicts of interest and how it ensures effective participation of all its members.

Council also notes that the Lib Dem Spring Conference called for the continued separation of the commissioning and provision of services to prevent conflicts of interests between GPs as providers and purchasers.

Recent press coverage has also highlighted concerns over GPs shares in private healthcare firms and warned that this could diminish patient trust and lead to more NHS services being run by private operators.

Council agrees that it is really important that GP consortia operate above reproach and suspicion, by ensuring tough mechanisms - consistent with the Nolan principles used elsewhere in public life - are put in place to avoid problems. This should include a requirement for clinicians to declare and publish potential conflicts of interest and for Clinical Commissioning Groups to ensure transparency and integrity of their decision making.

Therefore, Council urges the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board to give consideration to the issues of governance, transparency, conflict of interest and non-executive oversight.

Having applied the guillotine in accordance with Standing Order 7(8) the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment was put and carried (36:29) (One abstention).

The substantive motion was put and carried (36:29) (One abstention).

Resolved (36:29) (One abstention) –

Council believes that implementation of the Health and Social Care Act will require robust safeguards against conflicts of interest. Council notes that the General Practice Committee of the BMA and the Royal College of General Practice is drawing up guidelines on conflict of interest to guard against damage to GP reputations.

Council notes the governance arrangements for consortia will require all consortia to have a constitution that sets out how the consortium makes decisions, how it deals with conflicts of interest and how it ensures effective participation of all its members.

Council also notes that the Lib Dem Spring Conference called for the continued separation of the commissioning and provision of services to prevent conflicts of interests between GPs as providers and purchasers.

Recent press coverage has also highlighted concerns over GPs shares in private healthcare firms and warned that this could diminish patient trust and lead to more NHS services being run by private operators.

Council agrees that it is really important that GP consortia operate above reproach and suspicion, by ensuring tough mechanisms - consistent with the Nolan principles used elsewhere in public life - are put in place to avoid problems. This should include a requirement for clinicians to declare and publish potential conflicts of interest and for Clinical Commissioning Groups to ensure transparency and integrity of their decision making.

Therefore, Council urges the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board to give consideration to the issues of governance, transparency, conflict of interest and non-executive oversight.

Council believes that this is necessary to assure patients in Wirral that they are getting medical advice based on medical need and not financial interest.