Contact: Penny Velander, Health Review Officer, ext 7479

[email protected]

1 Background

1.1 The Health Review Committee agreed the work programme for reviews for 2004/05 on 30 March 2004. This report gives account of progress made since the last report on 25 May 2004

1.2 This work will support aims 1 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy: `maximising life opportunities' and `improving services'

2 Review of access to therapy services in schools

2.1 Cllr McNair Scott, supported by Cllrs Dickens, Heron, Holden-Brown, Randall and West, chairs the working group for this review.

2.2 Initial meetings have been held with therapists in Winchester, Portsmouth and Basingstoke and visits made to a special school and mainstream school to ascertain therapy input. In addition key officers in education have been consulted with and desk research taken place.

2.3 The review chairman and project manager met to set the scope for the review working group. It was decided that because of the importance of early intervention for children needing therapy services that the scope would include pre-school education. The review question is `how can children in Hampshire access the therapy services they may need and how can this access be improved'.

2.4 A briefing paper was prepared and sent to all Members on the working group before the first meeting. This gave an overall description of the services, explained who was responsible for delivery in Hampshire and gave a brief resume of the issues raised through the interviews.

2.5 The working group met on 23 July for a half-day meeting. The aims of the meeting were:

· To identify a global map of therapy service provision across Hampshire

· To identify local and common issues and concerns for those involved in service delivery

· To agree constructive and achievable goals for short and long term service improvements

2.6 Members of the working group received presentations from:

· Occupational Therapist

· Physiotherapist

· Speech and Language Therapist

· Children's Lead, North Hants PCT

· Education Officer - SEN

· Principal Education Psychologist

· Head of Early Years Unit

2.7 A question and answer session followed the presentations. After full discussion the working group agreed that a further meeting would be needed in order to focus on the issues that had been raised and how they could be resolved. It was also recognised that the imminent National Service Framework for Children may have an important impact on the findings of this review and would need to be taken into consideration.

2.8 Prior to the meeting a questionnaire had been sent to all therapists providing services in Hampshire. Unfortunately there had been a very poor response to the questionnaire. The three therapists present offered to liaise with their colleagues and feedback on the results at the next meeting.

2.9 The working group is to meet again on 14 October. The Strategic Health Authority has identified two officers to attend.

2.10 The intention was for this review to report back to the Health Review Committee at it's September meeting. However due to the working group extension the full report will now be presented in November.
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3 Review of access to foot care for people with diabetes

3.1 This working group is chaired by Cllr Dowden and supported by Cllrs Mason and McIntosh. A replacement is needed for Cllr Francis Williams who is no longer on the Health Review Committee.

3.2 The review chairman and project manager met with Mike Townson, Podiatry Service manager in Portsmouth, to discuss services across Hampshire. Mike gave an overview of current practice and issues, and advised on a draft questionnaire that had been prepared. The questionnaire was consequently sent out to podiatry managers in each PCT

3.3 A half-day working group meeting was planned for 27 July following on from the Health Review Committee meeting. However due to the `call in' over the Mount Hospital the meeting unfortunately had to be cancelled

3.4 A briefing paper has been prepared for members of the working group, once the results from the podiatry questionnaire have been added it will be circulated in preparation for the next meeting

3.5 The working group meeting has been rescheduled for the afternoon of 22 September. Mike Townson and two other Podiatry Managers from Southampton and North Hants have requested permission to attend.

3.6 The intention was for this review to report back to the Health Review Committee at it's September meeting. However due to the delay in the working group meeting the full report will now be presented in November.

4 Recommendations

i. That the progress made with the review programme and the change to the final report back date is noted


ii. An additional Member is nominated for the Podiatry Services review

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.