Derek Deedman

In a historic vote the County Council at it’s meeting on 6^th June voted by an overwhelming majority to bid to the Government to take over the functions of the West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT).

The Council was encouraged to take this action by the Government’s recently announced proposals to give people the chance to have a greater say in the way local health services are delivered, to help improve services to patients, and to make the local NHS more accountable to the people they serve.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Derek Deedman (Bramber Castle), proposed to the meeting that the functions of the PCT be brought under democratic control. The Leader of the Conservative Group congratulated Derek on bringing the proposal to the Council, which he said was one of the most important that had come before the Council in recent years. With some agreed amendments the proposal was accepted by the majority  Conservative Group and passed overwhelmingly, with the only opposition coming from the three members of the Labour Group present.

Mr Deedman said, “Local Government Association, Conservative and Liberal Democrat policies support greater local democratic control of local health services, and we should take up that challenge as to how that can be achieved, now.

“Direct County Council responsibility for local health services would enable the democratic deficit to be addressed, and would lead to improved working between health and social care. If it had already been in place this would have enabled the appalling original ‘Fit for the Future’ proposal, which, even now, has only been partially addressed at a high cost to the County Council budget, MPs’ and stress to the public, to have been avoided.

“Furthermore such a responsibility would give democratic control over the need for a new hospital in the Crawley and Horsham area which is currently of great to local residents. In addition the County Local Committee network would be an ideal forum for local monitoring and public consultation on local area health provision.

“Finally such an organisation would lead to considerable cost savings. For example it would need one Chief Executive and one set of support services for finance, legal, IT and personnel.

“This is a ‘win win’ situation - better, more effective and efficient local health and social care services, under local democratic control, and at a lower cost. I am delighted that the Council supported my proposal.”

Note - a full webcast of the debate can be seen via the West Sussex County Council  website link  from this website.