ITEM 2

AT A MEETING of the HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE of the COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on Tuesday, 31 May 2005

PRESENT

Councillors: Dr. R.J. Ellis (Chairman); Mrs. A.M. McNair-Scott (Vice-Chairman); Mrs. A. Buckley; N. Clarke; C. Connor; Mrs. P. Dickens; P. Edgar; K. Evans; D. Harrison;

P.K. Mason; A. Mitchell; E. Neal; D. Welch; Mrs. P.A. West; D.F. Wright.

Also in attendance: Councillor F. Charlton (Portsmouth City Council); Councillor B. Parnell (Southampton City Council).

In the absence of the Chairman at the beginning of the meeting the Vice-Chairman took the chair.

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COUNCILLOR MRS. A.M. McNAIR-SCOTT IN THE CHAIR

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1 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 Mrs. P. Dickens declared a personal interest in that she is employed by the NHS; Councillor Mrs. P.A. West declared a personal interest in that her daughter-in-law is a paramedic and Councillor D.F. Wright declared a personal interest in that his wife is a General Practice Manager.

2 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Health Review Committee held on 29 March, 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

3 DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations to this meeting.

4 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 5 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 action 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

Information had been sought about patient flows and how these would be affected by the proposed changes; all Overview and Scrutiny Committees affected had been alerted to the changes and the Trusts concerned had been advised of the need to comply with the Framework for Assessing substantial change. Southampton City Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee had also looked at the proposals and had endorsed the actions taken by the Committee.

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

Members had visited Andover War Memorial Community Hospital on 1 April, 2005 at the invitation of the Trust. They were given a tour of the hospital and a presentation on the progress of the review of services currently provided on the site and the options for future service development. They were advised that, as a result of the review, some services may be changed as part of the Modernisation programme. Members noted the request for additional information from WEHT and were concerned at the report that the closure of 22 rehabilitation beds had already happened.

The Future of Health Services in Fareham and Gosport

The Chairman had written to the new Secretary of State for Health requesting that the request for referral to Independent Reconfiguration Panel be dealt with as a matter of urgency. Since then a letter had been received from Lord Warner, the minister with a responsibility for issues relating to reconfiguration in general and the Independent Reconfiguration. He had written to say that he agreed that the matter should be dealt with urgently and that he was meeting with Peter Viggers MP and the local NHS before making a decision. Councillor Wright mentioned reports that some of the services which were planned to go Gosport War Memorial Hospital would now to go St. Mary's Hospital and that the building of Fareham Community Hospital would be delayed.

Members were alerted to proposals by East Hampshire and Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trusts to a review of beds for older people and the further information requested about the proposals.

South East Hampshire Capacity Plan

Specific points had been raised with the Strategic Health Authority on the duty Section 11 placed on the NHS and the financial position and information had been requested about the clinical audit work that had underpinned the suggested reduction in bed numbers.



New Forest Primary Care Trust : Forthcoming Services Reconfiguration

Members were alerted to proposals by New Forest Primary Care Trust for the reconfiguration of services which would include mid-wife led maternity services; health visitor services and sexual health services.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

Maternity Services in Southeast Hampshire

The Joint Committee anticipated finalising his views on the proposals by the end of June, 2005.

Eastleigh and Test Valley South/New Forest Primary Care Trusts : Temporary Closure of In-Patient Beds at the Fenwick Hospital

The Primary Care Trust had now confirmed that the in-patient beds would not now be re-opening at the end of May, 2005 as previously indicated. The Trust was now seeking to defer re-opening of these beds pending the outcome of the consultation on the community hospital strategy. The Chairman had expressed concerns on behalf of the Committee and sought additional information.

Southwest Alliance - Community Hospital Strategy

Members were alerted that the Primary Care Trusts involved would be consulting on the community services strategy in Summer 2005. John Richards (Chief Executive); Pauline Owen (Deputy Chief Executive); Denise Foster (Director of Adults and Older People) and Tim Moran (Patient and Public Involvement Head) attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the proposals which included the local challenges; aims for the alliance and the financial position and plans for savings. Their aim was to do the right thing, reduce base costs and getting services right for people. They understand that changes in services would not be popular and wanted to work with everyone in reconfiguring the services.

RESOLVED:

That:-

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

The Committee be advised of the changes to be included in the proposals and the Overview and Scrutiny Committees whose populations were to be affected in due course.


(b) Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS (WHET) Mid Hants PCT : Changes to Day Surgery and Rehabilitation Services


(i) The Committee be advised of further developments taken forward with regard to

- The redevelopment of Andover War Memorial Hospital

- Changes to the configuration of Community services in mid-Hampshire

- The response of WHET to the issues raised by the Committee.


(ii) The reported closure of 22 rehabilitation beds at Andover War Memorial Hospital be urgently followed up with WHET.


(iii) An update on progress be provided at the next meeting.


(c) Future of Health Services in Fareham and Gosport


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


(ii) The response of the PCT to the questions raised by the Chairman on the proposals to review beds for older people be reported to the Committee.


(d) New Forest PCT : Pending Service Configuration

The Committee be advised of arrangements for conducting consultation on midwife led maternity services, health visitor services and sexual health services.


(e) Maternity Services in South East Hampshire

The Committee receive a copy of the final report of the joint committee at their next meeting.


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

The response to the concerns identified by the Chairman on behalf of the Committee be reported to the next meeting of the Committee.


(g) South West Alliance Community Strategy


(i) Representatives of the Alliance be thanked for their presentation.


(ii) The response of the PCT to the issues raised by the Chairman and an update on progress with the development of options and the consultation process be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.

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COUNCILLOR DR. R.J. ELLIS IN THE CHAIR

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5 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

(a) Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority Chief Executive

The Chairman reported that Gareth Crudace had been seconded to the Department of Health and that, with effect from 1 June, 2005, Sir Ian Carruthers, would replace him as Chief Executive.


(b) Democratic Health Network Conference

The Chairman reported that he had recently attended a Democratic Health Network Conference to look at how Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees could work most effective with Patient and Public Involvement Forums. He was confident that the County Council was making good progress in this area.


(c) Health Economy

The Chairman reported that he would be meeting with Chairmen of the Strategic Health Authority later than day to discuss the financial position of the health economy.


(d) Training Day

The Chairman reported that arrangements had been made for a training day for members of the Committee on 23 June, 2005 commencing at 2.00 p.m.


(e) Acute Paediatric Services

The Chairman reported that the Strategic Health Authority had commissioned a review of acute paediatric services.

6 2004/05 ANNUAL REPORT AND DRAFT WORK PROGRAMME 2005/06

The Chief Executive presented a report on the progress made with the work programme of the Committee agreed by Members in 2004/05 and the draft work programme for 2005/06 which was all incorporated in the Annual Report (Item 6 in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED:

That the 2004/05 annual report and 2005/06 draft work programme be approved.

7 INQUIRIES RECEIVED AND ACTION TAKEN

The Chief Executive presented a report on inquiries received, the source of each inquiry the action taken (Item 7 in the Minute Book). He gave details on the park and ride services to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital; cleanliness in hospitals; access to counselling services in North Hampshire; car parking at Petersfield Hospital and Community Hospital Services in Southwest Hampshire.



RESOLVED:

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

8 FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE

The Chief Executive presented a report on the framework for assessing substantial change which had been developed by the Committee in collaboration with the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees (Item 8 in the Minute Book). The framework had been developed as a direct pressure to feedback from NHS Chief Executives and Chairman and had been the subject to a three month consultation with NHS and District Councils in Hampshire. Minor amendments had been in response to the consultation process.

RESOLVED:

That the framework for assessing substantial change be approved.

9 HAMPSHIRE, SOUTHAMPTON, PORTSMOUTH AND ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTH SCRUTINY JOINT COMMITTEE

The Chief Executive reported that it was necessary to appoint four members and one co-opted member to the Joint Committee to serve until the annual meeting of the County Council in 2009.

RESOLVED:

That Councillors K.G. Chapman; C. Connor; Dr. R.J. Ellis; Mrs. A.M. McNair-Scott and D.F. Wright be appointed to serve on the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of With Health Scrutiny Joint Committee until the annual meeting of the County Council in 2009.

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