Health chiefs have defended their decision to merge Lincolnshire’s key NHS decision-making body with those in neighbouring counties – a move which is set to result in job losses.
The Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has merged with those in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire as part of a series of so-called ‘clustering arrangements’.
Amanda Sullivan, chief executive of the ICBs across the three counties, said that the changes were needed in order for them to deliver services ‘at scale’. ICBs are responsible for commissioning services, meaning they play a crucial role in deciding the healthcare on offer in our communities.
But she acknowledged that the reforms will be difficult for some members of staff who will be losing their jobs in the process.
Members of East Lindsey District Council’s overview committee heard that the changes were part of wider NHS reforms to cut costs and deliver more efficient services.
At a meeting on Tuesday, 24 February, Ms Sullivan said: “The Integrated Care Boards for Lincolnshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire have clustered together, which is part of the NHS reforms which are currently going through.
“There is a bigger geography so we can do some things at scale, but that in no way diminishes our interest in Lincolnshire, and specifically East Lindsey, which we know has some very particular challenges and community needs.”
Ms Sullivan went on to say that the restructuring of the ICB was part of wider NHS plans to create a more collaborative and community-focused health service.
She added: “What we want to do is try to organise as much care and delivery as we can around local communities.
“We want to try to get the best value for that. We are sort of custodians of the very precious resources that go into the NHS, which obviously are from taxpayers.
“We have been asked to essentially halve the amount of money it costs to exercise our functions, which is partly why there is a bigger scale for the things that we want to do that can be done at a critical mass and be done more efficiently.”
Ms Sullivan went on to warn that some people may lose their jobs as part of the restructuring process.
She added: “We are in the middle of a really very significant structural change as part of the NHS changes, so that needs to be well managed.
“There are a lot of people involved. People are losing their jobs as a result of it and their livelihoods, and we have to treat people with respect and take that very seriously.”
But Cllr Jill Makinson-Sanders (Independent – Louth St Mary’s) said that people are frustrated with the services they are receiving.
She added: “I love what you sit and tell us, but I sit on health scrutiny (at Lincolnshire County Council) and what you tell us does not match what we hear from our community.
“Our big problem is – because I live in the north of East Lindsey – at least a third of our population goes out of Lincolnshire.
“I have to say that the stuff that’s going on at Grimsby – and I have to say it – is appalling.
“The complaints that I receive about treatment and the cancer services are poor – we’ve just had them at health scrutiny. Then they’re sending people to Hull.”
Cllr Makinson-Sanders added that she was worried that the changes could create a ‘big conglomerate’ and warned that the health issues that some Lincolnshire residents are facing could get ignored under the larger organisation.
