Health and Care Sustainability Transformation Plans for Coventry and Warwickshire should be public now, says Cllr Jerry Roodhouse

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group on Warwickshire County Council, has written to the local press stating that health and care Sustainability Transformation Plans (STPs) for Coventry and Warwickshire should be public now with a clear timetable for discussion.

Dear Editor,

Once again the question of "Sustainability Transformation Plans", or STPs as they are known, has been highlighted in the national media. There is a growing anger and disconnect taking place between local communities and the organisations that are working hard for the local health economy.

The STP for Coventry & Warwickshire should be public now with a clear timeline for discussion. The County Council's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee should really grasp this issue instead of sitting quietly waiting for things to happen.

As Prof Andy Hardy, who Chairs the STP process in Coventry & Warwickshire, recently said: "For too long, the focus has been on supporting our communities when they're in crisis or ill rather than on keeping them healthy and independent. This is an old fashioned way to care for people which is often unequal across the same area and more expensive than helping keep people well in the first place". So prevention is better - if that is the case, they should open up the process now for all to see.

Warwickshire's Health Scrutiny Committee is Chaired by Labour, and it is failing us in regard to transparency and holding to account. Other areas have opened up and become public, so why not Coventry & Warwickshire? We need to take the lead - after all we are elected and at least accountable to the public, unlike the health professionals who are designing the STP.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse

Leader Liberal Democrats Group

Warwickshire County Council