The Ealing Health and Social Care Standing Scrutiny Panel
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Stop Press !!!
19 June 2006 Ealing Scrutiny Panel "urges Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust to make an immediate and unequivocal commitment to keep the Unit open for 2006/7 regardless of the current number of confirmed registrations" and "to announce an immediate termination of the current public consultation". Letter from Ealing Scrutiny Panel to Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 19 June 2006 21 June 2006 At the public consultation meeting on June 21st, the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust said that the first opportunity they would have to make a decision whether or not to follow the request of the scrutiny panel would be at their next board meeting (July 6th), after the end of the consultation period (June 30th). Campaigners for the Nuffield SLU await their decision. In the interim, the consultation continues, and interested parties are urged to make their responses to the consultation by June 30th. |
The consultation process is being monitored and scrutinised by the Ealing panel because the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit lies within its local area. Details of the Scrutiny panel may be found on the Ealing Local Authority web site (www.ealing.gov.uk)
Prior to the local government elections in May of this year, the Scrutiny Panel was chaired by Councillor Simon Woodroofe. Following the elections, Simon Woodroofe has been replaced by Councillor Anthony Young. Correspondence and documents concerning the consultation process should be sent to Ealing's Scrutiny Officer Mr Nigel Spalding.
The postal address of the panel is Mr Nigel Spalding, Scrutiny Officer, Ealing Council, Perceval House, 14/16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 2HL (Map)
Please note that the primary responsibility of the Scrutiny Panel is to ensure that the consultation process is correct, full and of high quality. The Scrutiny Panel cannot become involved in the arguments for or against the Nuffield Unit. If you experience any problems with regards to the consultation process and wish to complain, please contact the scrutiny panel.
Ealing Scrutiny Panel Meetings
Meetings are open to members of the public, and venues / dates can be found from the Ealing Local Authority web site.
The issue of the Nuffield Unit was considered at the Scrutiny Panel Meeting held on March 17th at Ealing Hospital (see below). The next meeting will occur some time in June, but the date remains to be confirmed pending the local elections in May.
Notes from The Scrutiny Panel Meeting of March 17th, 2006
Mr Andrew Way, (Chief executive of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust) Contacted the Ealing Scrutiny Panel on March 9th with a draft copy of the consultation paper, and arrangements were made for him to present this paper at the panel meeting to be held on March 17th. In his letter to the panel Mr Way sought to have the consultation period shortened from the usual 12-week period, and he repeated this request at the meeting.
Mr Way did not inform parents of the panel meeting, nor of his intention to seek a shortened consultation period. No copy of the draft consultation paper was circulated to parents.
Two parents did attend the meeting, having found out about it by chance only days before it took place. Mr Way's request for a shortened consultation was rejected by the panel, and several critical comments regarding the consultation paper were made by the panel members. The panel were concerned about what alternative care might be provided should the Nuffield Unit close, and expressed the intention to keep the consultation process under review to ensure its quality and to ensure that everyone who wanted to could have a full opportunity to participate. Full details of what took place are contained in a set of notes prepared by the attending parents. These notes are an unofficial record, and have not been confirmed as accurate by Mr Way or by the Scrutiny Panel. Neither Mr Way or the Scrutiny Panel have objected to the notes however. The official minutes of the Scrutiny Panel meeting will appear in due course here
Parents have complained to the Scrutiny Panel about the lack of information provided by Mr Way prior to the Panel meeting (see correspondence section below).
Scrutiny Panel Correspondence and Documents
This section lists correspondence with the Ealing Scrutiny Panel of which we are aware:
Andrew Way to Scrutiny Panel, March 9th 2006. Seeks shortened consultation period on behalf of parents.
Dr Canas to Cllr Woodroofe, chair of scrutiny panel, March 23rd 2006. Seeks information and complains over lack of information regarding scrutiny panel meeting.
Dr Canas to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, April 24th 2006. Complaint regarding conduct of consultation process and request for information.
Dr Canas to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, May 15th 2006. Complaint regarding conduct of consultation process, in particular manner of notification of meetings and distribution of consultation documents.
Dr Canas to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, May 24th 2006. Complaint regarding conduct of consultation process following second public consultation meeting.
Dr Canas to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, May 29th 2006. Complaint regarding the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust's budget plan for the RNTNEH submitted to the board on May 25th 2006, in which it is stated that the figures submitted "assume that the proposed closure of the Ealing Unit takes place as planned".
Agenda, Minutes and Reports for June 8th 2006 Scrutiny Panel Meeting. Includes submissions to Scrutiny Panel.
John Bercow MP to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, May 30th 2006. Complaint regarding conduct of consultation process.
AFASIC to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer, May 31st 2006. Complaint regarding conduct of consultation process.
Correspondence from current and former parents/carers of children at the Nuffield SLU to Nigel Spalding, Ealing Scrutiny Officer.
Letter from Ealing Scrutiny Panel to Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 19 June 2006 to request halting of the consultation