Archived decisions

Item 2

AT A MEETING of the HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE of the COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester held at The Castle, Winchester on Tuesday, 26 September 2006.

PRESENT

Chairman:

p Councillor Dr. R.J. Ellis

Vice-Chairman:

p Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott

Councillors:

Co-opted Members:

Councillors:

p Mrs. M. Kerley

p R. Love

p P. Rees

a D. Welch

Also in attendance: Councillor L. Mason (Portsmouth City Council);

Councillor Felicity Hindson, MBE (Executive Member for Children's Services) and Councillors: K.G. Chapman; M.G. Cooper L.T. Dunsdon and A.D.G. Evans at the invitation of the Chairman.

Apologies were received from: Councillor Mrs. P.A. West as she was carrying out duties as Chairman of the County Council.

62. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed that they had a personal or personal prejudicial interesting any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally, at the time of the 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 was discussed.

The following members declared a personal interest:

Councillor M. Cooper - wife a General Practioner

Councillor Mrs. P. Dickens - employed by NHS

Councillor D. Wright - wife a General Practice Manager.

63. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 25 July 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

64. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

(a) Welcome

The Chairman welcomed Councillors Love and Rees as new co-opted members to the Committee.

(b) Hampshire Primary Care Trust

The Chairman reported that the new Hampshire Primary Care Trust would come into being on 1 October 2006 and an outline management structure for the Trust had now been produced. He and the Health Scrutiny Manager had met with the Chairman, Jonathan Montgomery , and Chief Executive, Gareth Cruddace, of the Trust to discuss working together with he County Council. It had been agreed that there would be regular bi-monthly meetings to discuss issues.

It was hoped that the Chairman would be invited to observe and be able to speak but not vote at Board meetings.

(c) Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority

The Chairman reported that arrangements had been made for representatives of all Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees in the new Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area to meet in Winchester on 8 November 2006.

(d) Portsmouth and Southampton Hospital Trusts

The Chairman reported that he and the Health Scrutiny Manager were to meet with Portsmouth and Southampton Hospital Trusts to discuss issues.

(e) Healthy Walks

The Chairman reported that three new healthy walks had been opened in the New Forest bring the total of healthy walks to date to twenty one.

65. DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations made to this meeting.

66. APPOINTMENT OF CO-OPTED MEMBERS

The Chief Executive reported that Hampshire and Isle of Wight Association of Local Authorities had nominated Councillors R. Love and P. Rees to fill the current vacancies for co-opted members to the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That Councillors R. Love and P. Rees be appointed co-opted members

to the Committee.

67. INQUIRIES RECEIVED AND ACTION TAKEN

The Chief Executive presented a report on enquiries received, the

source of each enquiry and the action taken (Item 6 in the Minute Book). The enquiries related to:-

Ambulance Service Estates Strategy

Following the presentation by the Ambulance Service the Chairman left the meeting and the Vice-Chairman took the Chair.

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COUNCILLOR MRS. A.M. MCNAIR SCOTT IN THE CHAIR

___________________________________________________

Future of The Lawns Day Hospital, Havant

Changes to Neurology Rehabilitation Services within Southampton University Hospital Trust

Incidence and Causes of Delay in Discharge from Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust

Partnership Working with the Healthcare Commission

Publication of Annual Health Check Assessments

Care at The End of Life

Aldershot Health Centre

`Fit for the Future'

Representatives from the Ambulance Service gave a presentation on the progress with the roll-out of the estates strategy including the siting of satellite stations, call centres and ambulance stations. They outlined the key elements of vision focusing on five key areas:

Improving leadership, both clinical and managerial, so that the organisation structure, culture and style match the new models of care

Improving the consistency and quality of care provided to patients

Improving efficiency and effectiveness of our organisations and systems

Supporting performance improvement

Developing an empowered professional workforce.

and sketched the process for achieving this.

Councillor Mrs. Buckley updated the Committee on progress with The Lawns Day Hospital and said that there would be a further meeting with Hampshire Partnership on 30 September 2006.

The Chief Executive reported that The Director of Adult Services had given a positive response to Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust on he issue of incidence and causes of delay and a meeting to discuss issues had been arranged.

RESOLVED:

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

68. PROPOSALS TO DEVELOP OR VARY NHS SERVICES

The Chief Executive presented a report on proposals to develop or vary

health services in the area of the Committee (Item 7 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 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:-

(a) Hampshire Primary Care Trusts : Hampshire Child Health and Maternity Services: A Discussion Paper

The Interests of the Committee on this work had been drawn the attention of the new Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be updated on the progress with this initiative at its next meeting.

(b) Southeast Primary Care Trust Cluster : Maternity Services in Southeast Hampshire County Council

A re-opening date for The Grange Birthing centre had been requested.

Portsmouth City Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee had written to the Primary Care Trust confirming/supporting Hampshire's position about the future service configuration including the view that the birthing centre reconfiguration was not contingent on the retention of services on Portsea Island.

It was now anticipated that Blackbrook Birthing Centre would not now close in the new year.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be kept updated on the progress of the Maternity Services Joint Committee.

(c) The Future of Services in Fareham and Gosport/Southeast Hampshire Capacity Plan

The views of the Committee had been sent to The Strategic Health Authority and its response had been circulated to members. No issues on the proposals had been raised by Adult Services.

(d) East Hampshire Primary Care Trust: Transfer of Older Persons Medicine Services

The recommendations of the Joint Committee with Portsmouth City Council on the transfer of Elderly medicine were shown as appendix 2 to the Chief Executive's report. Adult Services had not indicated any concerns about the recommendations.

RESOLVED:

That Committee continues to be updated on progress with this work via the Joint Committee.

(e) North Hampshire Primary Care Trust: Changes to Services at Homefield House, Basingstoke

As requested the Primary Care Trust had now undertaken Section 11 consultation on plans to move patients from Homefield House and details of the consultation process were given. The Patient and Public Involvement Forum had been informed about the proposed changes. Following a clinical assessment of all patients it had been agreed that no patients would now be moved.

(f) North Hampshire Primary Care Trust: Modernising Alton Hospital

The Primary Care Trust had provided some additional information about the proposed changes to the physical environment at Alton Hospital which were shown in Appendix 3 to the Chief Executive's report. Additional information with regard to the Section 11 engagement that underpinned the development and range of services that would be provided at the hospital.

RESOLVED:

That the Primary Care Trust be requested to provide the additional information regarding Section 11 engagement.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

(g) Southwest Primary Care Trusts Alliance/Southampton University Hospital Trust: Closure of Maternity Beds and Review of Maternity Services in Southwest Hampshire

Southampton University Hospital Trust had convened a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the way forward. They had explained the reasons for the proposed reconfiguration of the services and all present had agreed that the current situation was untenable. As part of the Section 11 engagement formal consultation on the proposals had commenced on 21 August and would continue until 20 October 2006, the consultation document had been circulated electronically to all members. The issues to be addressed were outlined and general points and questions to be raised with the Trust were shown in Appendix 4 to the Chief Executive's report.

Members commented on the need to ensure choice for those patients who did not have their own transport.

RESOLVED:

That:

(i) The additional points and questions to be raised with Southampton University Trust, as detailed in Appendix 4 to the Chief Executive's report be agreed.

(ii) Any issues relating to the adequacy of the Section 11 engagement, or the interests of the population served be sent to the Health Scrutiny Manager by 12 October 2006.

(iii) Southampton University Hospital Trust updates the Committee on the outcome of the consultation process and the next steps at its next meeting.

(h) Southwest Primary Care Trusts Alliance: Neurology Rehabilitation Services

The formal consultation period ended on 25 September 2006 and the Primary Care Trust tabled a paper giving an indicative position based on the responses received up to 14 September. No additional issues had been raised by Members.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the Primary Care Trust be requested to provide an update on the consultation process and the next steps to be taken at the next meeting,

(i) Department of Health: A Stronger Local Voice: A Framework for Creating a Stronger Local Voice in the Development of Health and Social Care Services

The final response of the Committee to the Department of Health's proposals was shown as Appendix 5 to the Chief Executive's report.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be advised of the outcome of the consultation process.

(j) Hampshire County Council Adult Services: Consultation on Eligibility Criteria for Accessing Community Services

Adult Services had launched the consultation process on proposed changes to eligibility criteria for accessing community services on 1 September 2006 and this would run to 27 November. Key questions to be asked of Adult Services on the proposals were shown as Appendix 6 to the Chief Executive's report.

RESOLVED:

That:-

(i) agreement be given to the key questions shown as Appendix 6 to the Chief Executive's report be raised wit Adult Services and the Committee be provided with indicative results of the consultation at the next meeting.

(ii) The feedback to the questions raised be reported to the Safe and Health People Policy Review Committee.

69. FORWARD PLAN

The Chief Executive presented the Committee's Forward Plan (Item 8

in the Minute Book)

RESOLVED

That the Forward Plan be approved.