Health chiefs are ducking questions and dodging proper public scrutiny, according to a veteran campaigner.
Ken Kirk is so frustrated by their tactics that he called on councillors to summon NHS Sussex bosses to explain themselves.
He spelt out his concerns when Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) met at Hove Town Hall yesterday (Wednesday 20 November).
Mr Kirk, a retired teacher who lives in Brighton, said: “According to their rules, a public question to the Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is permitted only if the question’s subject is on the agenda of their next meeting.
“It means that a member of the public who has an issue which she or he wishes to raise has to wait for the publication of the agenda.
“One is always disappointed. This clearly is a device to deter public interest.
“Would the HOSC ask the ICB to attend the next HOSC meeting to respectfully ask how it justifies its disregard of the tax-paying public?”
Labour councillor Theresa Fowler, who chairs the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, read out a response from the Sussex ICB.
Councillor Fowler said: “We are committed to hearing from local residents and have a range of ways in which people can contact NHS Sussex.
“If someone has an issue with local health services, they can share an email, letter or call to our contact us team.
“People are always able to formally send us (the ICB) a complaint and we will fully investigate or they could join one of our engagement events listed on our website.
“We also invite questions on areas being discussed at any of our NHS Sussex board meetings.
“Members of the public are also able to ask questions at our annual general meeting and hear responses directly from the board.
“We would really encourage the person who shared their question to make contact with us and we will look into their concerns and come back to them as quickly as possible.”
The next meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 27 November in Billingshurst. To see the agenda, click here.
The previous three meetings in September, June and May were held respectively in Eastbourne, Bognor and at the Sussex University campus, in Falmer.
The integrated care board, which replaced clinical commissioning groups, first met in September 2022.
