Agenda item

The Committee considered two Members’ Items in the names of Councillors Alison Cornelius and Barry Rawlings in relation to the recent relocation of breast screening services from Finchley Memorial Hospital to St Michael’s Hospital in Enfield. 

The Committee received public comments from Ms Stephanie Segal in relation to the item.

At the invitation of the Chairman, the Cabinet Member for Public Health addressed the Committee.  She considered that the removal of the mobile screening service without notification was totally unacceptable.  She highlighted that the Health and Well Being Strategy actually had a target to increase the uptake of breast screening services and improve coverage to exceed the national average of 70% by 2015.  She reported that underperforming breast screening services had been an issue in Barnet for a number of years, with performance against the target having fallen at one point to 59%.although it had just recently managed to achieve 70%.  The Committee was informed that the Cabinet Member for Public Health, the Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Clinical Commissioning Group had not been notified of the decision to relocate the mobile breast screening unit and were advised that a Lessons Learned Report had been requested for reporting to the next meeting of the Health and Well Being Board. 

The Committee welcomed Dr Kathie Binysh (Head of Screening at NHS England – London Region), Kim Stoddard (Programme Manager at the North London Breast Screening Service) and Steve Davis (Operations Manager at the North London Breast Screening Service) who were responsible for the breast screening service at Finchley Memorial Hospital.  Dr Binysh reported that Community Health Partnerships, the owners of the Finchley Memorial Hospital site, had unexpectedly imposed a £100 (plus VAT) per day charge on the mobile screening service where previously there had been no charge.  It was noted that there had also been some issues with electricity supply for the mobile unit.  The Committee were informed that NHS England and North London Breast Screening Service had taken the decision to relocate the mobile screening unit following consultation with Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital NHS Trust who were the commissioners of the breast screening service.

The Cabinet Member for Public Health questioned why the decision to move the service had not been referred immediately to the Health and Well Being Board by NHS England, adding that where major service changes were proposed, there should always be prior consultation with and approval by the Board.

Dr Binysh acknowledged that greater consultation should have taken place and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to patients by the relocation of the unit.  She advised the Committee that they had been in discussions with Community Health Partnerships and had managed to negotiate a reduction the in daily charge levied from £100 (plus VAT) to £60 (plus VAT). 

The Committee were informed that in the long-term, NHS England were seeking to develop a static unit on the Finchley Memorial Hospital site.  NHS England were currently reviewing an old feasibility study with a view to developing detailed proposals.  Members were advised that the mobile unit would be reinstated at Finchley Memorial Hospital by 1 November 2013 and that the additional charges would be underwritten by Public Health England until 1 April 2014. 

It was noted that attendance of Barnet residents at the Enfield unit had been low and that the London Breast Screening Service would follow-up with the cohort of women offered services at Enfield to ensure that they were offered the service at Finchley Memorial Hospital when the service was reinstated.

RESOLVED that:-

1.         The Committee note the submission from NHS England and the North London Breast Screening Service on breast screening services at Finchley Memorial Hospital as set out above.

2.         The Committee request submissions from:

i)         NHS England and the London Breast Screening Service; and

ii)       NHS Prop Co and Community Health Partnerships

on breast screening services at Finchley Memorial Hospital at the next meeting of the Committee on 12 December 2013.