The Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee unanimously agreed to request a call-in to the Secretary of State regarding the NHS Shaping Care Together programme. This decision was made due to concerns about the process followed and the potential negative impact on health services in the West Lancashire area, particularly concerning the proposed changes to children's A&E and maternity services at Ormskirk Hospital.

Call-in Request to the Secretary of State for the NHS Shaping Care Together Programme

The committee resolved to formally request a call-in to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care concerning the decision made by the NHS Shaping Care Together Joint Committee on 13 March 2026. This decision was reached unanimously by the Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee. The primary grounds for the call-in are concerns regarding the process followed during the decision-making, and the belief that the proposals are not in the best interests of the health service in the West Lancashire area.

Members expressed significant concerns about the adequacy and timing of the consultation process. Councillor Shaun Crimmins highlighted that the consultation began with a preferred option, leading many to believe the decision was already made, causing disengagement. Councillor Mohammed Iqbal MBE initially felt the process had been followed but later agreed with concerns about the timing of meetings and the lack of substantive responses to questions raised. Councillor Hamish Mills echoed this, stating that concerns raised at joint scrutiny meetings were noted but never significantly addressed, with responses often being a rewritten copy of the previous report. Councillor Gaynor Hargreaves felt the process had fell down somewhere and that there was insufficient risk assessment, particularly for children requiring urgent care. Councillor Anne Fennell, standing in for Councillor Cummings, noted that some members of the public who attempted to respond by post did not receive the consultation documents. Councillor Mark Jewell pointed out that while the report acknowledged increased travel distances, the planned mitigations were not clear, and accessibility for residents in areas like Skelmersdale was a significant concern.

A major point of contention was the potential impact on local services, particularly children's A&E and maternity services at Ormskirk Hospital. Councillor Anne Fennell, speaking on behalf of Councillor Cummings, raised concerns that the decision to close children's A&E could lead to the loss of maternity services as well, impacting a large and densely populated area like Skelmersdale. She noted that while some residents might travel to Wigan, there was a sentiment that local services should be prioritised. Councillor Hargreaves emphasised the critical nature of travel time for children, stating that a few minutes can impact on somebody's health or life. Councillor Mark Jewell also highlighted the accessibility issue for residents of Skelmersdale and surrounding areas if services were consolidated at Southport. Councillor Mills raised concerns about ambulance time modelling, believing these were not adequately addressed before the decision.

Conversely, Councillor Thomas de Freitas argued that the focus should be on clinical expertise rather than just proximity, suggesting that if we haven't got the skills in there, there's no point in having it. He cautioned that arguments should be based on sound clinical judgments to avoid being easily dismissed. Councillor Nigel Swales noted that there was no proposal to increase staffing for children's A&E if services were moved, and that verbal assurances had been given regarding the current quality of maternity care at Ormskirk Hospital.

Councillor Shaun Crimmins also raised concerns about the exclusion of interdependent services potentially compromising clinical safety and questioned whether alternative models proposed by local councils had been sufficiently evaluated.

Following the discussion, the committee unanimously agreed to request a formal letter to be drafted as part of the call-in request, in addition to submitting it via the online form. The next ordinary meeting of the Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee is scheduled for 22 April 2026.