Ipswich Borough Council has published its response on the Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust's Foundation Trust application.
In a letter to Mark Halladay, Chief Executive of the Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, Councillor Judy Terry, Arts, Culture & Leisure portfolio-holder, said:
"Many thanks for the opportunity to comment on the above proposal and my thanks to Robert Nesbitt who met with Councillors on 5 September. I know they found the session particularly informative.
"The Council is acutely aware of the effect mental illness has on the lives of many of our residents in one form or another; whether this is directly, through a family member or friend or through life in the community. We are keen to continue to work with you and other partners to help improve the quality of life for all our residents who are affected by mental illness, substance misuse or have a learning disability.
"The Council broadly welcomes the proposal to create a Foundation Trust for Suffolk Mental Health Partnership if this will deliver the outcomes you have set out in your consultation document. Indeed, any proposals which make the NHS more accountable to local people are to be supported. However, given that you are in effect a business providing services commissioned by others, the extent to which outcomes will improve as a result of this structural change is arguable.
"You are no doubt aware that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is minded to grant Ipswich unitary status later this year. One of the key elements of our bid is to ensure that services for Ipswich residents address local needs. We note that you feel that by developing a Foundation Trust you will be able to make your services more flexible and hence address local issues. We also note the service proposals within your consultation document. We would wish to discuss with you in the coming months how we can review all Ipswich services and redesign them in partnership in preparation for unitary government.
"As an upper-tier authority from April 2009, we will have full responsibility for Adult Social Care and Children’s Services for Ipswich. As such, Ipswich would wish to have a place in its own right as an appointed governor. I would be grateful for clarification on how non-executive directors will be appointed as your consultation document states that council members make these appointments but Councillors were given the impression that the Appointments Commission would continue to undertake this.
"Implementation of the Foundation Trust will not be without its challenges. Since there was a clear admission, during the presentation to Councillors, that services have been cut in a bid to balance the books, we are concerned that the increased bureaucracy which apparently comes with Foundation status will further divert resources from front line services. We feel that this needs clarification if the people of Ipswich are to benefit from such changes. We feel strongly that the proposed business model will not address these concerns.
For the Council of Members to be truly democratic, there would need to be a genuine cross-section of the local population participating, and we feel that this will be a key issue, as the governance arrangements seem rather complex. If you are successful, the Council would be pleased to help promote this through its Angle newspaper, and website."