Agenda item

Paula Riseborough made a statement to the Panel on the subject of HCRG Care Group. A copy of the statement can be found as an online appendix to these minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book. A summary is set out below.

I’m speaking today to highlight one of the many issues that I object to regarding the outsourcing of BathNES health and care services to private provider HCRG Care Group (formerly known as Virgin Care).

Most recently we have objected to the behaviour of Virgin Care executives in secretly negotiating a takeover of their company by Twenty20 Capital, without informing the commissioners (the Council and BathNES CCG) of this until after they had approved a 3-year extension of Virgin Care’s prime provider contract.

Protect our NHS members have raised questions with our local councillors and with the health scrutiny panel about the procedures involved in the contract negotiations and were reassured when the Council announced that due diligence work and a revised options appraisal would be carried out regarding this contract extension.

However, on reading the Scrutiny Panel’s Agenda for its 17 May meeting, together with the HCRG Care Group Options Appraisal document, I was dismayed to find that the long awaited report is to be presented to the Panel ‘in private session due to the commercial sensitivity of the decision to be taken’. This represents one of my major concerns about outsourcing of publicly funded health and care services to private companies – there is a breakdown of transparency in the functioning of democratic and statutory organisations when the commercial interests of private providers are placed ahead of essential public interest.

If the full Options Appraisal document is not to be published, then the commissioners should provide for public scrutiny, at the very least, a summary of the Options Appraisal document. This should include a list of the people consulted for their views (and their job roles), what criteria they were looking at when deciding on a recommended option and, if a decision is made to extend HCRG’s contract, what measures the commissioners have in place to prevent the prime provider company being sold on again during the BathNES contract period.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that the Options Appraisal had not yet been shared with members of the Panel and that they were not asked to be part of that process.

Paula Riseborough said that she found that alarming and felt there was a democratic deficit in the process.

The Chairman thanked her for her statement on behalf of the Panel.

Theresa Franklin made a statement to the Panel on the subject of the High Common, Bath. A copy of the statement can be found as an online appendix to these minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book. A summary is set out below.

My subject is the dangers of sharing golf with the public on The High Common which is a park. One of the things about golf being played in a public park is the obvious danger of golf balls.

Golf balls can travel up to 100miles per hour. We have known near misses on the golf course and certainly flying balls have hit houses on Cavendish Rd.

Should users of this public park, be subjected to these dangers on a daily basis.

The High Common reverted to parkland during the pandemic.  Many rediscovered the High Common a place of sanity and sanctuary.  We don’t want it returned to golf.

Because, the truth is Golf on The High Common changes everything. 

Where we walk, where we sit, and how we feel!  We certainly can’t linger.  And our children cannot run free.  You can’t breathe comfortably.  Always on the lookout for a flying golf ball.

Golf restricts that access physically and has an affect on us mentally. Why should we be afraid, and constantly looking out for danger in a public park?

I can understand how 60 years ago, golf, pitch and putt really, might have been acceptable.  But, surely not in 2022.

60 years ago, life was very different - people never wore seatbelts in cars, people drove drunk, people smoked, a lot, everywhere. Women could get fired for being pregnant. You get the picture…. None of these things are acceptable now.

Councillor Joanna Wright commented that she felt this area could be used for forms of social prescribing and was aware of its increased use during the pandemic.

Theresa Franklin said that many of the local residents, especially those in flats, use the High Common now as their garden space. She said if golf were to return it could do solely on the 12 hole side of the course and that anything more would be detrimental.

Councillor Dine Romero suggested that the statement be passed to Councillor David Wood, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Theresa for her statement and requested that it be forwarded to Councillor Wood.

Councillor Joanna Wright addressed the Panel on the subject of the dentistry. She explained that a resident is unable to currently find a local NHS dentist and can’t afford to have private treatment.

She said that the resident also has relatives that have problems with their teeth, including pain whilst eating. She asked the Panel to consider having a further discussion on this matter at a future meeting.

Councillor Paul May suggested that the Panel receives a review of local dentistry provision.