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 29, May 2007.

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

D. Welch

Also in attendance:

Councillor Mrs. P.G. Banks, Executive Member for Children and Families;

Councillor Felicity Hindson, MBE, Executive Member for Adult Social Care;

Councillor David Stephen Butler, Portsmouth City Council: F. Rust, Hampshire Patient and Public Involvement Forum; Mrs. M. Silk and N. Allsop, Portsmouth Patient and Public Involvement Forum and Richard Samuel, Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

Councillor Chapman presented his apologies because he was attending another County Council meeting.

94. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed that they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest 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 Mrs. P. Dickens - employed by NHS

Councillor P. Edgar - does work for NHS

Councillor D. Harrison - employed by the NHS

Councillor Mrs. M. Kerley - Member of League of Friends for Andover and

Romsey Hospitals

Councillor D. Wright - wife a General Practice Manager.

95. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 11 April 2007 were

confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Arising thereon:

(a) Minute No 87e - Ambulance Service

Following a question the Chairman reported that the Ambulance Service was now on target with its finances but there had, to date, been no improvement on response times.

(b) Minute No. 88 Use of Royal Hospital, Haslar

Members asked if there was any further information on the future use of the Royal Hospital Haslar and raised concern that no formal agreement on use had yet been signed between the Ministry of Defence and the NHS and that there was a possibility of the Ministry of Defence landing the NHS with a large bill for use. Richard Samuel reported that the NHS had responded to a request from Gosport Borough Council to meet them and other agencies to explore potential future use of the Royal Hospital Haslar site. He also reported that Portsmouth Hospitals (NHS) Trust had signed an agreement for the temporary health service use of the site.

96. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION

a. Councillor Peter Rees

The Chairman reported that Councillor Peter Rees had not sought re-election to Winchester City Council and as a result ceased to be a co-opted Member of the Committee. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Association of Local Authorities had been requested to nominate a replacement for him.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Rees be thanked for his services to the Committee.

b. Hampshire Primary Care Trust - Leadership Team

The Chairman reported that the Hampshire Primary Care Trust had set up a leadership team to engage with stakeholders in setting the strategic direction for health services in Hampshire. The Committee would be represented on the team.

c. NHS Annual Conference

The Chairman reported that he and the Health Scrutiny Manager would be attending the NHS Annual Conference on 21 June 2007.

d. Health Scrutiny in Hampshire

The Chairman reported that health scrutiny in Hampshire had been highlighted in the preliminary report of the auditors as a national exemplar. He congratulated all who had contributed to the work of the Committee.

e. Commissioning Health and Wellbeing

The Chairman reported that a joint response to the national consultation on Commissioning Health and Wellbeing had been sent by the Chairman of the Safe and Healthy People Select Committee. Copies of the response were available on request.

97. INQUIRIES RECEIVED AND ACTION TAKEN

The Chief Executive presented a report on enquiries received, the

source of each enquiry and the action taken (Item 4 in the Minute Book). The enquiries related to:-

Partnership Working with the Healthcare Commission

Some feedback from the 1 March event was still awaited, that received to date was outlined in Appendix 1 to the Chief Executive's report. The annual health checks for all Trusts in Hampshire had now been completed.

The Future of Fenwick Hospital

A bid of £91,000 had been submitted and the outcome was awaited, the business plan was being refined.

Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust - Application for Foundation Status

Copies of the foundation status proposals were circulated to Members at the meeting.

Learning Disability Services in Southeast Hampshire

This item was withdrawn with the consent of the Committee. a further report would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust - Application for Foundation

Status

A number of questions had been raised with the Trust, as shown in Appendix 3 the Chief Executive's report, to date no reply had been received.

Briarwood Rehabilitation Unit, Cove

The views of service users to the proposed changes to the unit had been sought from the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust.

RESOLVED:

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

98. 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 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 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) Maternity Services in Southeast Hampshire

The Portsmouth, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Maternity Joint

Committee would be meeting on 6 June 2007 to receive an update on progress with the work.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be kept up to date on the progress of the Joint Committee on Maternity Services.

(b) Maternity Services in Southwest Hampshire

Following the removal of the rehabilitation services from the Ashurst site work would now commence on the new birthing centre in June.

RESOLVED:

The Committee be appraised of the anticipated opening date of the new Birthing Centre at Ashurst.

(c) South Central Strategic Health Authority: Review of Community Hospitals

A meeting of the South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny

Committees had taken place on 15 May and a number of concerns had been expressed in the way in which work on the review of community hospitals related to Primary Care Trusts and the need to develop proposals with local people and key stakeholders. The letter, expressing concerns, sent on behalf of the South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees to the South Central Strategic Health Authority was shown as Appendix 1 to the Chief Executive's Report. The South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees would be meeting with the South Central Strategic Health Authority on 8 June 2007.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be kept appraised of this work.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

(d) Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust: Mental Health Services for Older People in the Wider Southampton Area

The Chief Executive of Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust attended

the meeting and gave a presentation on the proposals for the modernisation of mental health services for older people in the wider Southampton area. The Patient and Public Involvement Forum and Eastleigh Borough Council had been consulted but no response had been received. Hampshire County Council Adult Services had now seen the proposals and raised no objection, its comments were circulated to members at the meeting. Hampshire Primary Care Trust would be working alongside Adult Services on the modernisation proposals.

RESOLVED:

That the Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust be advised that the

Committee was satisfied with its response and that account had been taken

of feedback from stakeholders and the impact of changes on the population

affected.

(e) Southeast England Strategic Health Authority: Acute Service Reconfiguration

West Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and West

Sussex Primary Care Trust had been appraised about the Committee's

views about the potential for the changes to acute service reconfiguration to have a significant impact on the population and health Services in Hampshire. No additional clarification had been received from West Sussex Primary Care Trust. Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust had provided figures showing the potential impact some of the proposed changes would have on Portsmouth hospitals, these were at considerable variance with those previously provided by West Sussex Primary Care Trust and had been passed to it for comment.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Officers would be

meeting on 30 May 2007 to confirm the formal Terms of Reference for a

Joint Committee, two places on which would be allocated to Hampshire.

RESOLVED:

That Councillors Dr. R Ellis and D Wright be nominated to

represent Hampshire on the Joint Committee established to consider the proposals for the reconfiguration of acute services in West Sussex.

99. ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07 AND WORK PROGRAMME 2007/08

The Chief Executive presented the 2006/07 Annual Report and the 2007/08 Work Programme (Item 6 in the Minute Book). He outlined the proposed work programme which would take account of issues raised by Members raised over the last year and discussed in Committee, topics identified by key partners ( Patient and Public Involvement Forums, NHS Organisations and District Councils), national policy developments that would have an impact on the health of local people and local issues that would have an impact on the provision of health services to people living in Hampshire. Members asked how on going issues with the Primary Care Trust were monitored and the Trust agreed to present regular reports to the Committee on progress with ongoing issues. Concern was expressed about access to dentistry and it was agreed that arrangements be made for a presentation on access to dentistry to the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That:-

(a) The Annual Report for 2006/07 and draft work programme for 2007/08 be approved.

(b) The Committee receives regular reports from Hampshire Primary Care Trust on progress with ongoing issues.

(c) The Committee receives a presentation on access to dentistry in Hampshire.

100. HEALTH REVIEW PROGRAMME: UPDATE ON CARE AT THE END

OF LIFE REVIEW

The Chief Executive presented a report giving an update on the Care at the End of Life Review including feedback from Adult Services, Hampshire Primary Care Trust (Item 7 in the Minute Book). The Director of Adult Services gave a presentation on the action being taken as a result of the recommendations made by the Care at the End of Life Review.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and the Committee be continually updated on progress on the outcome of the Care at the End of Life Panel's recommendations.

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

With the leave of the Committee this Item was withdrawn.

102 FORWARD PLAN

The Chief Executive presented the Committee's Forward Plan (Item 9

in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED

That the Forward Plan be approved subject to the inclusion of issues raised at this meeting.