Item 2

AT A MEETING of the HEALTH REVIEW COMMITTEE of the COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on Tuesday, 29 March 2005

PRESENT

Councillors: Dr R J Ellis (Chairman); Mrs A M McNair Scott (Vice Chairman);

Mrs P G Banks; I F E Beagley; Mrs A Buckley; K G Chapman; C Connor; K Evans; Mrs K Heron; Mrs P G E Holden-Brown; P K Mason; R C McIntosh; K P J Searle;

D Welch; D F Wright.

Also in attendance: Councillor A Dowden (Chairman of the Access to Podiatry Services for People with Diabetes Review Group); Councillor F Charlton (Portsmouth City Council); Councillor B Parnell (Southampton City Council).

116 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that where they believed that they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally, at the time of debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter is discussed.

Councillor P K Mason declared a personal interest in that he is employed by the Ambulance Service and Councillor D F Wright declared a personal interest in that his wife is a General Practice Manager.

117 MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 25 January 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Arising thereon:

(a) Minute No. 114 Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust - Appointment of Foundation Trust Governor

The Chief Executive reported that following the last meeting the Trust had advised him that their terms of reference did not allow for a member of the Health Review Committee to be appointed as a Foundation Trust Governor. After consideration of the matter The Leader had appointed Councillor Waddington as a Foundation Trust Governor.

118 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

(a) Audit Commission Workshop

The Chairman reported that he and Denise Holden had been invited to give a presentation on the work of the Committee at an Audit Commission Workshop on 12 April 2005.

(b) Democratic Health Network

The Chairman reported that the Democratic Health Network had recently published a briefing paper on effective health scrutiny which ad included several examples of work undertaken in Hampshire.

(c) Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority

The Chairman reported that he had arranged to meet the Chairman of the Health Authority on 7 April 2005 to raise the collective concerns of Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees about the impact that the continued deterioration of the financial position was having on front line services. He said that he had also been requested by the Joint Committee to contact the Secretary of State for Health to highlight the problems that the current funding formula was creating for Health Services in our area.

(d) Hampshire Partnership Trust

The Chairman reported that Maureen Robinson had recently been appointed as the new Chairman of Hampshire Partnership Trust.

119 DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations to the meeting.

120 INQUIRIES RECEIVED AND ACTIONS TAKEN

The Chief Executive presented a report on inquiries received, the source of each inquiry and the action taken (Item 5 in the Minute Book). He gave details of Park and Ride Services to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital; Future Management of Patient and Public Involvement Forums; Out of Hours Services; Local Action on NHS Dentists; Beyond Healthfit and car parking at Petersfield Hospital.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the actions outlined in the report be endorsed.

121 PROPOSALS TO DEVELOP OR VARY NHS SERVICES

The Chief Executive presented a report on proposals to vary or develop health services in the area of the Committee (Item 6 in the Minute Book). He presented the report in two parts which comprised of items for information which alerted the Committee to forthcoming proposals from the NHS to vary or change services and items for actions which set out the actions required by the Committee to respond to proposals from the NHS to substantially change or vary NHS services.

Under items for information he gave details on:-

Mid and South West Hants Cluster: Surgical Services Reconfiguration

Members were advised of proposals to review the options for reconfiguring surgical services across Southampton, Winchester, Lymington and Andover. Mark Hackett, Chief Executive of Southampton University Hospital Trust was to lead the work on the proposals and the options for providing surgical services to the population needed to be established to allow members to determine if changes were substantial.

Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust: Temporary Closure of Endoscopy Services at Andover War Memorial Community Hospital

The Endoscopy Unit had now re-opened and Members had been invited to visit the hospital on 1 April 2005.

Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust/Mid Hants Primary Care Trust: Changes to Day Surgery and Rehabilitation Services

Members were alerted to potential changes to the number of beds supporting the delivery of day surgery and rehabilitation services in the Mid-Hants area. A presentation on the proposals was given by representatives of the Trusts. They explained the background to the proposals and wider issues and challenges. The new Treatment Centre would provide additional day surgery places. Plans for reducing rehabilitation beds were based on plans to extend the range of services in a primary care or community setting. The proposals, at present, were only outline and formal consultation would take place once these were finalised. They stressed that rehabilitation care would be in place before the closure of any beds.

The Future of Health Services in Fareham and Gosport

The Minister of State for Health had confirmed that the request for referral of this matter to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel was under consideration.

South East Hampshire Capacity Plan

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority had published a draft paper for its Board which included a number of proposals that would have a significant impact on services provided in the area. The Chairman, with the support of Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight had written to the Chairman of the Strategic Health Authority stressing deep concerns about the proposals in the draft capacity map for the area.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:

Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT: Modernising Health Services at Fleet Hospital

The consultation process was to close on 31 March 2005. Members had previously noted the focus of the proposals on maintaining services in the community as close to people's homes as possible and had not made any additional comments.

Maternity Services in South East Hampshire

The Joint Committee was now meeting regularly and considering evidence from a wide variety of stakeholders.

Framework for Assessing Substantial Change

Broad support had been received for the framework in its current format. Minor amendments would be made and the final draft would be presented for members approval at the next meeting.

Eastleigh and Test Valley South/New Forest Primary Care Trust: Temporary Closure of Fenwick Hospital

Members were advised that Fenwick Hospital had been closed for a period of three months due to staffing pressures.

RESOLVED:

That:-

(a) Mid and South West Hants Cluster: Surgical Services Reconfiguration

(i) Details of the changes to be included in the proposals and the OSCs whose populations will be affected by the proposed changes be provided to the Committee.

(ii) Early action to establish a joint committee for the Overview on Scrutiny Committees affected be initiated.

(iii) Individual members with an interest in serving on the Joint Committee contact the Chairman by 15 April 2005.

(iv) An up-date on progress be provided to the Committee at its next meeting.

(v) The agreed framework for assessing substantial changes informs the development of the proposals for reconfiguring surgical services.

(b) Winchester and Eastleigh Health Care NHS Trust: Temporary Closure of Endoscopy Services at Andover Hospital

(i) The reopening of the Endoscopy Service be noted.

(c) Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust/Mid Hants Primary Care Trust (PCT): Changes to Day Surgery and Rehabilitation Services

(i) The representatives of the Trusts be thanked for their presentation.

(ii) The PCT be requested to advise the Committee of any additional issues that need to be considered as part of the development of these proposals and engagement with local people.

(iii) An up-date on progress be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.

(d) Future of Health Services in Fareham and Gosport

The Committee be apprised of further correspondence from the Secretary of State for Health.

(e) South East Hampshire Capacity Plan

The Committee be advised of the response of the Strategic Heath Authority.

(f) Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT: Modernising Heath Services at Fleet Hospital

(i) The Primary Care Trust be advised that the Committee welcomes the focus of proposals on maintaining services in the community as close to people's homes as possible.

(ii) Details of the response of local stakeholders to the consultation process and the way in which this feedback informs the final decision of the Trust Board be provided to the Committee.

(g) Maternity Services in South East Hampshire

The Committee continues to be apprised of the progress of the joint committee.

(h) Framework for Assessing Substantial Change

The Committee receives the final draft of the Framework at the next meeting.

(i) Eastleigh and Test Valley South/New Forest PCT: Temporary Closure of the Fenwick Hospital

The Committee be advised of the position with regard to reopening the hospital at their next meeting.

122 HEALTH REVIEW PROGRESS REPORT

The Chief Executive presented a report on the reviews of Access to Therapy Services for Children in School and Pre-School and Access to Podiatry Services for People with Diabetes (Item 7 in the Minute Book). Councillor Mrs McNair Scott, Chairman of the Access to Therapy Services for Children in School and Pre-School Group, outlined the work that had been undertaken by the group. She said that the availability of therapy services to children in school and pre-school was inconsistent across the County, lacked strategic leadership and carried unacceptable waiting times. No one organisation or partnership maintained an overview any many children received no service at all. The review group recommended that The Children's Board becomes the lead agency; a Therapy Services Partnership Board be established and there be Therapy focus for Local Implementation Team.

Councillor Dowden, Chairman of the Access to Podiatry Services for People with Diabetes Review Group outlined the work that had been undertaken by the group. He said that ethnic groups, adults with learning disabilities and the elderly were a particularly vulnerable group. A set of robust recommendations had been formulated to provide a clear strategic direction for Hampshire services which encapsulated the principles advocated in the National Services Framework (NSF) and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The review group recommended that the Strategic Health Authority takes strategic responsibility for ensuring equality of foot care services for people with diabetes across Hampshire to comply with recommendations from the diabetes NSF and NICE guidelines; the leads for diabetes from each Primary Care Trust join together to form a Diabetes Health Network to action the recommendations in the NSF and NICE guidelines for foot care for people with diabetes and the key agencies join together to introduce a training and development programme for all staff involved in foot care of patients with diabetes.






RESOLVED:

That:-

(a) The recommendations detailed in the reports on Access to Therapy Services for Children in School and Pre-School and Access to Podiatry Services for People with Diabetes be agreed.

(b) A letter be sent to all Chief Executives and Directors cited in each review requesting details on how they would be supporting the development of review recommendations.

123 FRIMLEY PARK HOSPITAL NHS TRUST

The Chief Executive presented a report recommending the appointment of a Member to the Council of Governors (Item 8 in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED:

That it be a RECOMMENDATION to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that Councillor Mrs A M McNair Scott be appointed as a Member of the Council of Governors to the Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust until the annual meeting of the County Council in May 2005.

4JM600405