Links to information about the planned change to Cornwall NHS to an Accountable Care Organisation/System

In an accountable care system (ACS) several healthcare organisations agree to provide all health and social care for a given population. An accountable care organisation (ACO) is a body that manages the agreements to establish such a system and is accountable for all care. Distinctions between the two terms are often overlooked, and they are sometimes used interchangeably. - Tom Moberly definition in BMJ
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What are Accountable Care Organisations? - other definitions
NHS England - Accountable Care Systems
ACOs explained by King's Fund 
Accountable care systems: what are they and what do they mean for the NHS - BMA
Why we should be concerned about ACOs - BMJ (free to read for 14 days)
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From Cornwall Council or NHS Kernow

Extraordinary Meeting of Health & Social Care Committee 5th February

Public submissions to the Inquiry Committee (62 pages) 

 Shaping our Future - plans for an Accountable Care System -This links to several other documents including reports from the Inquiry Days

Cornwall Council Accountable Care System Inquiry - Committee details - dates, committee details and reports

Day 3 round up - Cornwall Council Media Release

Presentation on Developing the shadow Accountable Care System from Day 3 

Healthwatch Cornwall on ACOs

News Reports - Local & National

​Inquiry Committee Latest 
Correspondence between Wollaston & Hunt on pausing roll-out
Hunt's secret NHS plan opens the door to further privatisation - Dr Graham Winyard is a former medical director of the NHS and deputy chief medical officer.
Legal Challenge to ACOs - The Independent
Legal Challenges to ACOs - The Guardian 
BMJ on ACOs & Jeremy Hunt - British Medical Journal Blog
Letters in the Guardian January 2018
Legal Challenge to ACOs supported by Stephen Hawking from Cambridge News
It's time for NHS transparency by Jonathan Ashworth - New Stateman
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Local Reports:
Fast-tracked to an ACO - Cornish Stuff
Campaigners slam radical plans - Cornwall Live
NHS Changes spark protests - Cornwall Live
Is Cornwall Council going to end the NHS in Cornwall in February?  28 concerns about the ACO by Colin Martin - Cornish Stuff
General practice is on a cliff edge - and ACOs could tip it over - Dr David Wrigley's Blog post 
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Submission to Cornwall Council Scrutiny Sub-Committee from Keep Our NHS Public Kernow (KONP)
System Reform to Achieve Better Care (Appendix F)
... However, the letter from the various Chief Executives dated 19/12/16 says “Our thinking now is that we will need to move with pace to establish an Accountable Care Organisation ….” It appears that this decision has already been made without consultation.
Evidence regarding ACOs from the USA is mixed and a pioneer in the UK (in Torbay) has already run into financial difficulty with a substantial overspend in the first year. Torbay Council papers indicate that this presents “a substantial financial risk to the authority”. A report dated 4/1/17 to Cornwall’s own H&ASC Scrutiny Committee noted “significant financial risks” in Cornwall.
  • What Evidence is there that an ACO is the right way forward?
  • What alternatives have been considered?
  • Who is an ACO accountable to – Cornwall Council? NHS England? The Department of Health?
  • What are the financial risks? Are they acceptable?

​Labour Sources

Overview from Tamar Valley Labour
Our motion opposing Accountable Care in Cornwall

The Labour Party is warning that Cornwall has only two months to save its NHS labournorthcornwall.co.uk/what-are-the-liberal-democrats-playing-at-asks-labour-as-cornwall-council-plans-to-pull-the-plug-on-the-nhs/- December 2017

North Cornwall Labour Articles & links 
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From SE Cornwall Labour's Protest March

My thoughts on ACOs/ACSs by Kay Ecclestone

Video From Jennifer Forbes - Campaigner 
Act Now or the NHS in Cornwall is over by Jennifer Forbes
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Cllr Tim Dwelly Report January 2018

​Judicial Reviews

999 call for Judicial Review - brought by patient campaign group Call 999 for the NHS
Legal Action for our NHS - brought by doctors and supported by Stephen Hawking
Responding to a risk or priority in an area: Cornwall - Quality of Care Commission October 2017