City Hall challenge for NHS London service shakeup plan

Onkar Sahota wrote to the mayor of London to say he was “concerned by the seemingly advanced stage of planning” for a new system “without any documents being released, let alone consultation with Londoners”.

HSJ last month revealed that Journey to a New Health and Care System could see further consolidation of providers and commissioners, with waiting lists centralised across five or more boroughs.

These and other changes would be led by the five integrated care system leadership teams that are currently heading the response to the covid-19 outbreak.

The document said regional director Sir David’s role in the new system would include “partner relations, communications and regulation [and] preserving ICS ‘agency’”.

It added that the regional director’s office would have an “important role in fending off unhelpful distractions”.

Dr Sahota, assembly member for Ealing and Hillingdon and Labour spokesman for health, wrote to Mr Khan: “My concern, and that of other health sector stakeholders who have contacted me about this, is that the Journey has not yet demonstrated this engagement.

“I note the London Health Board does not have any future meetings listed online, nor does the Journey have any concrete consultative steps, beyond a commitment to untested ‘citizens juries’.”

He called for “proper” equality impact assessments and “engagement with the public and stakeholders”. He also asked the mayor to detail his “engagement so far in the Journey to a New NHS”.

The Mayor’s office said Mr Khan would “continue to scrutinise proposed changes to the NHS in London.

A spokesman said: “He will be working closely with health leaders in the capital to understand how patients will be consulted as the NHS develops its response both to, and crucially following, the pandemic.”

A spokeswoman for the NHS in London said: “As the number of new patients with covid-19 falls, led by integrated care systems the NHS in London along with partners is working hard to enable people to access health and care safe from the risks of infection and to encourage Londoners to use vital services in our shared aim to make London the world’s healthiest city. We continue to work closely with our partners including members of the public, London boroughs, Public Health England and the Mayor of London.”