Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed.
Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services.
Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”
The email to Councillor Stretton sent today (14 September 2020) reads:
From: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Sent: 14 September 2020 16:43
To: Cllr J Stretton <jean.stretton@oldham.gov.uk>
Cc: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Subject: Oldham Health and Well Being Board cancelled again
Councillor Jean Stretton, Chair, Health and Well-being Board, Oldham Council
Dear Jean,
I was disappointed to see that once more the next Health and Well-being Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow (15 September) has been cancelled.
In the last twelve months, four of the five Board meetings (10 December 2019, 17 March 2020, 23 June 2020 and tomorrow) have been cancelled. Let me be clear there were understandable reasons for a couple of those which I was happy to support at the time.
However, at a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.
Surely there are issues around both the response of the Council and its partners to the Covid-19 emergency and the provision of non-Covid health services to those denied treatment during the Lockdown that should command the attention of the members?
Across all service areas: Acute, Primary, GPs, Nursing and other support service to the elderly and vulnerable (district nurses, chiropody, aid and adaptions – to name just three) have all been functioning at a lower capacity and some services reduced or dropped altogether.
The health legacy for our citizens will be massive and life reducing. And that is before we even consider the mental well-being of our citizens due to lock down and continuing restrictions.
To date a lot of the health service decisions and service reductions or service terminations have had no or little democratic scrutiny or over-sight to date and look like to continue for the foreseeable future.
The Health and Well-being Board has a defined constitutional role within the governance structure, and it is my view that it should not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.
I look forward to receiving your comments.
Best wishes and stay safe.
Howard