Sustainability and Transformation Plan update

The STPs look like being neither sustainable nor transforming, except for introducing cuts. They're more like castles in the air. At the time of writing the STPs are still mostly secret despite having been submitted on 21st October. Some details of the Sheffield Place Plan were published at the Sheffield CCG meeting on 6th October here.  NHS England have instructed that all local communication about the STPs must be processed through their central communications team.

Some call the STPs the least bad option (Chris Ham here) but campaigners like John Lister of London Health Emergency and Keep Our NHS Public are more scathing.  Campaigners are pushing local Councils not to sign up to the STPs if they involve cuts. Two London Councils decided to publish the STPs anyway in order to bring them into the public domain and, because they involve disputed hospital closures, to seek a judicial review.

Opposing STPs does put cash-strapped councillors in a dilemma because the STPs are a potential source of funds for social care. But to accept this is just making matters worse. The plans need to be part of a proper public debate which must surely but back pressure on Hunt and May to recognise they can't go on pretending that the NHS is managing.  Cracks are appearing all over.  The Chancellor's neglect of the NHS and social care in his Autumn Statement was quite shocking.


Update 28th November

The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw STP has been published on the website of South and Mid Yorkshire Commissioners Working Together, the group which is providing administrative support for the STP.  Here you can also find consultation proposals about the reconfiguration of Hyper acute stroke services and children's surgery. (Scroll down for the link to the STP page).

The STP does not involve any immediate cuts in Sheffield but significant changes are hinted at.  The financial strategy is not yet written or agreed.

We have attended a number of local events to challenge assumptions in the STP process but both the STP and the Sheffield Plan are up for approval at Sheffield CCG on 1st December.

Update 10th December

Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group agreed the Direction of Travel of the STP and also approved the outline of the Sheffield Plan.  However at the full meeting of Sheffield Council on 7th December Cllr Cate Macdonald, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said that it was not currently the intention of the Council to approve the STP because of the implications of agreeing the cuts which it implies, both at local and national level.  Hostility has also been expressed within Barnsley Council.  Other Councils up and down the country (including Tory controlled Devon) have also refused to agree their STPs.  The NHS leadership is showing signs that it recognises the process is in trouble, but for the moment it remains the only game in town.  There is likely to be more consultation and wooing of Councils and other organisations but the press seems clear that Theresa May is adamant in her refusal of more money for the NHS despite its increasing desperation.  Expect more trouble and confrontation from many quarters, not excluding staff groups as things become more and more stretched.

The Shaping Sheffield event held on 8th December was notable for avoiding the phrase STP wherever possible (though it was raised by the SSONHS speaker) and it seems likely that the Sheffield Plan (which predates the STP though is based on similar principles) will carry on edging forward under its own branding.