Is the Oxfordshire health and wellbeing board ready to act as a watchdog?

NO, says Lib Dem spokesman for adult services Jenny Hannaby

"The success of the system depends on partnership co-operation, and comments at a recent shadow health and wellbeing board meeting suggest this was not happening.

It was said that it is going to get worse before it gets better, but they’ve said that before, two years ago.

They are still missing targets for delayed transfers of care.

The Government even gave councils money to help with delayed transfers of care, but they’re not getting anywhere near their targets, so I want to know what’s happened to that money.

They should be putting further resources in, and this is why the Lib Dem budget, which was defeated at full council, proposed hiring more occupational therapists.

This is where the co-operation and partnership working between the NHS and the council is falling down.

The health and wellbeing board properly came into effect on April 1, and it’s that board which will monitor working practices.

It should be sent a strong warning that delayed transfers of care are the result of a lack of co-operation.

I haven’t seen anything which has given me any faith that the board will provide this strong monitoring role.

YES says Tory county council leader and board charman Ian Hudspeth

"Councillors and elected representatives can be criticised for many things – however they could never be accused of lacking in opinions or ideas or being backwards in coming forward.

The people who make up the Health and Wellbeing Board have active interests in our local health services and/or are experienced elected representatives who want the best for Oxfordshire and are well used to speaking up for the people who elected them.

As such I have no doubt that scrutiny of health services will be robust, appropriate and fair. I have no doubt as individuals there will be things each of us will learn about health services as we go along. However that doesn’t mean we don’t know an awful lot already.

There are big issues facing the health service across the UK.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is ready to meet that challenge and is looking forward to doing so.

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