Greens call Accountable Care Partnership decision in for scrutiny

The Green Party are today calling in the Cabinets decision to sign the Council up to the Accountable Care Partnership (ACP) for scrutiny.

ACPs are new models for a reorganisation of NHS and council services, which could make significant changes to the way that services are organised and delivered in the City. The decision to sign Sheffield up to the system has been taken with little oversight or consultation.

Douglas Johnson, Green Councillor for City ward and member of the Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, is leading a cross-party group concerned about the amount of Councillor oversight of the new arrangements. The Scrutiny Committee is the only cross-party scrutiny mechanism available to oversee these issues at public meetings.

Cllr Johnson commented,

“Scrutiny of the Accountable Care Partnership is very important because it is the basis for cuts in local NHS services – these can be controversial and have a big impact on the public, as we have seen with current plans to cut the Minor Injuries and Walk-in facilities in the city. This is not a decision which should be made without a great deal of examination and careful consideration.

“Further, under the current proposals, there is no scrutiny mechanism for this decision and future decisions about health services under the ACP outside of the Council executive.

“That’s why I am leading a cross-party group, including Councillors from the Green, Liberal Democrat, and Labour parties, calling for effective on-going scrutiny arrangements to be in place for the ACP.”