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Position Statement in light of the proposed Derbyshire CCG Financial Recovery Plan.

Derbyshire CCG have put forward a Financial Recovery plan to meet the challenges of an estimated Funding gap of £80 million this year. The proposals show how the CCG hopes to make savings  which will enable them to achieve a break even position by agreeing to make savings of £51m, which then enables them to draw down on CSF (non-recurrent Commissioner Sustainability Funds). However if these savings are not met the CSF will not be forthcoming and so there would be a significant loss of resource across Derbyshire and the CCG would still have to pay  a further £44m in debt. Therefore, the level of savings in the Derbyshire CCG means that they can no longer afford to commission all current services at the same level and need to ensure that there is enough money to maintain the essential health care services for the local population.

Healthwatch Derby understands the difficulties that the decision makers are under and we do not have the authority or right to tell any funding body how it should or should not spend its money. However, we do need to inform those who make the decisions on health and social care of the concerns raised by the local community we and they serve. We need to be satisfied that appropriate consultation and engagement has taken place and that the likely  impact of those decisions are fully understood and that the final decision is not going to have a detrimental effect on the health and social care of the local community as a whole.

We, like our neighbour Healthwatch Derbyshire and the local VCS, have raised concerns over the Derbyshire CCG’s Financial Recovery Plan particularly about the level of consultation, the amount of time given to the whole process and the possible impact of those decisions.

We will and are continuing our discussions with the CCG to hopefully get a fair and transparent process that will provide a workable solution that will focus on improvements to the health and social care system which will make savings through removing duplication and being more efficient with resources.

James Moore
CEO Healthwatch Derby

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