The Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee has unanimously voted to request a 'call-in' to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regarding the NHS Shaping Care Together programme's decision to co-locate adult and children's A&E services at Southport and Formby District General Hospital. The committee cited concerns over the consultation process, including inadequate consideration of interdependent services like maternity, insufficient risk assessments for urgent care needs, and the potential negative impact on travel times and accessibility for residents in West Lancashire.

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

The committee resolved to formally request that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care use their powers to 'call-in' the decision made by the NHS Shaping Care Together Joint Committee on 13 March 2026. This decision approved the co-location of adult and children's Accident and Emergency (A&E) services at Southport and Formby District General Hospital. The committee voted unanimously in favour of this call-in request.

The primary grounds for the call-in request are concerns regarding the process followed by the NHS commissioning body and the belief that the proposed decision is not in the best interests of the health service in the area. Councillors expressed significant reservations about the consultation process, the adequacy of the information provided, and the time allowed for consultation.

Concerns Raised:

• Process and Consultation: Several councillors, including Councillor Shaun Crimmins and Councillor Gaynor Hargreaves, voiced concerns that the process was flawed and that decisions may have been predetermined. Councillor Crimmins stated, It just feels like it's fell down somewhere. There was a perception that the consultation started with a preferred option, leading some to disengage as they felt it was a done deal. Councillor Anne Fennell noted that some members of the public who attempted to participate by post did not receive the consultation document. Councillor Mohammed Iqbal MBE, however, initially felt the process had been followed, but later agreed with concerns about the timing of meetings and the lack of adequate feedback.
• Interdependent Services: A major concern was the exclusion of interdependent services, such as maternity and neonatal care, from the scope of the Shaping Care Together programme. Councillor Hill highlighted that maternity services also go hand in hand with this and expressed worry about losing these services at Ormskirk Hospital. Councillor Knowles stated, the main concerns are that they did not properly consider the knock-on effect to other services, namely the maternity services.
• Travel and Accessibility: Significant concerns were raised about the impact of co-locating services at Southport on residents in West Lancashire, particularly Skelmersdale. Councillor Hill noted that Southport is harder to reach than Ormskirk for many residents. Councillor Mark Jewell emphasised that accessibility is to me a big consideration in this, and expressed concern about the lack of clear mitigations for increased travel distances. Councillor O'Barry mentioned that shuttle buses, while suggested, are not the solution to everything.
• Risk Assessment and Modelling: Councillors questioned the adequacy of risk assessments, particularly for children requiring urgent care. Councillor Hargreaves stated, There doesn't seem to be enough assessment done. There's not enough risk assessment done for children that may need to seek urgent care. Concerns were also raised about the ambulance time modelling and whether it had been correctly addressed. Councillor Mills stated, I brought up several of the meetings about concerns with the increased ambulance times or the modelling, and I don't believe those were correctly addressed prior to the decision being made on the 13th.
• Clinical Judgement vs. Convenience: Councillor Thomas de Freitas offered a counterpoint, suggesting that while proximity is desirable, clinical judgement must take precedence. He argued that if we haven't got the skills in there, there's no point in having it and that sometimes extra travel against the more positive outcome that you're likely to get.
• Capacity at Southport: Questions were raised about whether Southport A&E would be able to handle the increased capacity if it were to accommodate both adult and children's services, in terms of staffing and the size of the department itself.

Decision on Grounds for Call-in:

Following discussion, the committee voted on the grounds for the call-in request.

• Option 1: Concerns with the process that has been followed. This was supported by a majority.
• Option 2: A decision has been made and there are concerns that a proposal is not in the best interest of the health service in its area. This was supported by two members.
• Both options: This was supported by a majority.

The committee ultimately decided to pursue the call-in request based on concerns with the process and the proposal not being in the best interest of the health service.

Steps Taken to Resolve Issues Locally:

The committee discussed the steps taken to resolve issues locally, noting that while some engagement had occurred, many felt their concerns had not been adequately addressed. Councillor Crimmins stated, There's very little scrutiny. I don't know if it was just rubbish dumped. It seemed to be just rubbish dumped through. There's no scrutiny at all.

Formal Letter for Call-in Request:

The committee unanimously agreed to draft a formal letter to be included as part of the call-in request to the Secretary of State. They also agreed for this to be submitted via the online form to ensure it was received.

The next ordinary meeting of the Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee is scheduled for 22 April 2026.