Independent chair appointed for Right Care, Right Time, Right Place travel and transport group
Dr Mike Grady has been appointed as independent chair of a new travel and transport group following a recruitment and selection process which included advertising the role nationally.
The group is being set up following the recent consultation on proposed future arrangements for hospital and community health services in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield after analysis identified travel and transport as key areas highlighted by the public.
Dr Grady is a former principal adviser/senior research fellow at the Institute of Health Equity where he was part of the team supporting the Marmot Review and its subsequent implementation across the UK. He has significant NHS and local authority experience having held the posts of Director of Social Services/Acting Chief Officer Housing and Social Care at Wakefield Council and Chief Executive of Eastern Wakefield NHS Primary Care Trust.
Dr Grady’s knowledge of the evidence to support policies to address health inequalities and understanding of the importance of travel and transport policies in promoting health and wellbeing will support him in this new role.
The travel and transport group will advise, inform and provide expert input on transport and access matters relating to the proposed changes to health services across Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield. This will involve identifying priority areas for consideration such as access, travel, parking and public transport as well as developing recommendations and plans to address any challenges. Members of the group include representatives from the public, Healthwatch, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, both local authorities and the NHS.
Dr Grady said:
“I look forward to working in partnership with the group and wider communities to better understand the issues involved and develop evidence-based recommendations. This will be a very challenging but ultimately rewarding role.”
Dr Steve Ollerton, GP and Chair of NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG said:
“I am delighted that we have been able to appoint such an experienced chair to this role. The travel and transport group has an important role to play in identifying priority areas for consideration and developing recommendations and plans to address any challenges.”
Dr Alan Brook, GP and Chair of NHS Calderdale CCG said:
“This new group will advise, inform and provide expert input on transport and access matters relating to our proposed future arrangements for health services. I am pleased that this work is now getting underway and I look forward to hearing more from group as they develop their plans.”
Glad they have finally appointed someone – lots of work to do before JSOC deadline of June when they will expect answers
How will the representatives from the public be chosen?
Is the group meeting in public? If not it must.
Hi
With reference to your comment that ” Members of the group include representatives from the public, Healthwatch, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, both local authorities and the NHS.”
As a member of Hands Off HRI I would be interested in participating in this group as an interested member of the public.
Would you please advise how other members will be chosen.
thanks in advance.
Yours faithfully
Jackie Murphy
Do they need volunteers , I have experience of travelling and parking at Calderdale Hospital .
We asked Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)to respond to your questions, here is their response:
The CCGs will continue to work in partnership with a range of stakeholders including community groups and networks, patient reference groups and voluntary organisations in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield.
The aim of the travel and transport group is to identify representatives who can support the working group by identifying solutions to specific travel and transport needs. The meeting is not a public meeting but a working group that can help shape future solutions and identify any additional involvement opportunities as the work progresses.
The work will begin with an initial meeting with existing groups and networks who will be invited to send a representative. The purpose of this meeting is to share what we already know, identify any gaps and develop an approach to taking the work forward. As with any other stakeholders, Healthwatch would act as a representative group for people, patients and carers, in the same way as a local councillor may represent a community.
Representatives may choose to be involved in a number of ways which we hope to determine at the event. The options to involvement may include:
• a virtual network of ‘experts’ who can advise the Travel and Transport group;
• a sub-group that meets regularly to receive information from the ‘Travel and Transport’ group and provide advice, guidance or feedback; or
• a group that attends focus groups and workshops as work is progressed.
We will share the information we already have gathered from both our engagement and consultation and ask representatives of these groups to provide more detail on each of the themes. The CCGs will reach out and involve other groups, communities or individuals as and when work progresses.
Healthwatch will be attending the travel and transport group. If you would like your views, questions or concerns to be raised, please email: info@healthwatchkirklees.co.uk and we will raise that question with the group.