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, 25 September 2007.

PRESENT

Chairman:

p Councillor Dr. R.J. Ellis

Vice-Chairman:

p Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott

Councillors:

Co-opted Members:

Councillors:

Mrs. M. Kerley

p R. Love

p J. Marsh

Also in attendance:

Councillor Peter Luffman; Richard Samuel, Hampshire Primary Care Trust

Councillor Clarke presented his apologies as he was attending another County Council Committee meeting

111. 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 and Member of Advisory

Committee of Trinity Centre

Councillor P. Edgar - does work for NHS

Councillor D. Harrison - employed by the NHS

Councillor D. Wright - wife a General Practice Manager.

Councillor R. Love - Member of Advisory Committee of Trinity Centre

Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott - links with Trinity Centre

Councillor L. Dunsdon - wife employed by NHS

Councillor Mrs. A. Buckley - Leases premises from Dental Practice

112. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 24 July 2007 were

confirmed as a correct record, subject to the amendment that Councillors

Mrs. P. Dickens and R. Love being members of the Advisory Committee of the Trinity Centre not Directors, and signed by the Chairman.

113. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION

a. South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Chairman reported that as Chairman of the South Central Overview and

Scrutiny Committees he would be meeting with the Strategic Health

Authority's acting Chief Executive on 8 October to discuss working together

across such a wide area. Key areas for consideration would include the

commissioning of specialist services, community hospitals and development of

Local Involvement Networks (LINKs).

b. South Central Strategic Health Authority

The Chairman reported that Jim Easton had been appointed as the new Chief

Executive of South Central Strategic Health Authority. He would be taking up

his post this autumn and was currently Chief Executive of York Hospitals NHS

Trust.

c. Local Involvement Networks (LINks) Workshop

The Chairman reported that Councillor Anna McNair Scott would chair a

meeting looking at how we need to set up arrangements in for LINks in

Hampshire on 2 October 2007. This would be co-ordinated across lead officers

in the Policy Unit for scrutiny , Hampshire Action Teams/public engagement

and Communities/LAAs. Stakeholders have been invited from districts, Patient

and Public Involvement Forums and the Voluntary Sector as well as the

relevant NHS and Department leads

d. Mental Health Workshop

The Chairman reported that in his capacity as Chairman of Hampshire,

Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight Health Scrutiny Joint

Committee he would be hosting a half day workshop for Joint Committee

Members to consider mental health services in our area on 22 October 2007.

Contributors would be drawn from each Health Overview and Scrutiny

Committee area and would cover a range of different aspects of mental health

issues, including the impact of the recent Mental Health Act.

e. Care at the End of Life

The Chairman reported that a meeting of the Committee had been arranged for

12 October 2007 to look at Hampshire County Council and Hampshire

Primary Care Trust progress with the implementation of Care at the End of

Life recommendations.

f. New Forest Stakeholders Meeting

The Chairman reported that Hampshire Primary Care Trust had called a further

meeting of this group on 23 October 2007 to consider developments in the

locality, including Milford War Memorial Hospital. The local Hampshire

Action Team Chairman had been apprised of this event.

g. Case for Change

The Chairman reported that he had invited Hampshire Primary Care Trust to

give a presentation on their first thoughts with regard to a strategy for health in

Hampshire to enable members to understand how local authorities, including

the County Council would be contributing to this work and the impact that it

would have on the well being of our population.

Richard Samuel together with The Director of Public Health outlined:

· Partnerships and joint working

· The ways in which we improved interface working across public sector organisations might happen

· The way in which the tensions between the well being /preventative agenda, and the increasing demand for heath care would be managed

· The impact on the most vulnerable- particularly those with disabilities and mental health problems

· How working together to address the challenges caused by an aging population, including our on-going interest in care at the end of life could be addressed

· How the Committee, and elected members could most effectively contribute to this work

114. 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:-

Access to NHS Dental Services

Representatives from Hampshire Primary Care Trust attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the provision of NHS dental services in Hampshire. They gave details of the provision of services, NHS treatment and costs, primary dental care, oral health, dental care for and oral health of children, the demand for dental services including out of hours demand, orthodontic services and the work being carried out by the Primary Care Trust for improving and ensuring quality services in the future.

Moorgreen Hospital - The Future

Southampton City Primary Care Trust was considering how services at Moorgreen could be developed to provide a facility for people living in the area.

Aldershot Health Centre - Update

Hampshire Primary Care Trust presented an update on the work taking place on the redevelopment of Aldershot Health Centre which was shown as Appendix 1 to the Chief Executive's report.

Andover War Memorial Hospital - Progress

The Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust had confirmed its commitment to upgrading and extending services at Andover War Memorial Hospital. A final design was awaited.

Countess Mountbatten Hospice - Proposal to Close Beds

The Chief Executive reported that representatives from Southampton University Hospital Trust had now confirmed that they would be attending the Committee meeting of 12 October 2008 to provide an update on progress.

Childhood Immunisation Rates

Following a request at the last meeting of the Committee the Director of Public Health had reviewed the data on immunisation rates to ascertain if it was possible to present the information by District/Borough. Unfortunately, at present, the data could not be broken down beyond the former Primary Care Trust boundaries.

Community Hospitals

The Hampshire Primary Care Trust was continuing to explore options at Milford Hospital with local stakeholders. The business case for the development of Oak Park Hospital, Havant was progressing and would be presented to the Committee in November 2007.

Hampshire Primary Care Trust Performance

A summary of the Hampshire Primary Care Trust performance against key target areas was attached as Appendix 4 to the Chief Executive's report.

Health Services for People who are Homeless or without a Fixed Place of Residence

Changes to the support provided to the Trinity Centre had been raised with Hampshire Primary Care Trust and it had confirmed that progress was being made on arrangements to provide appropriate support for people who were homeless or without a fixed abode.

Briarwood Adult Mental Health Unit, Cove - Changes

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust had confirmed that it had taken steps to ensure that there was good communication with the Committee when services changes were being considered and had provided an update on work being undertaken with service users to support the new arrangements for Briarwood Adult Mental Health Unit, shown as Appendix 5 to the Chief Executive's report.

Ambulance Response Times

The Chairman reported that a representative of South Central Ambulance Trust would be attending the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight Health Scrutiny Joint Committee on 1 October 2007 to give information about Ambulance response times.

Local Involvement Networks (LINks).

The Department of Health had published guidance and the expected contracting arrangements for LINks. A summary of each document was shown as Appendix 6 of The Chief Executive's report.

RESOLVED:

That:

a. The report be received and the actions outlined in it be endorsed

b. Hampshire Primary Care Trust presents a further report giving an update on the provision of dental services in Hampshire to a future meeting of the Committee.

115. 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 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 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 Southwest Hampshire

Southampton University Hospital Trust had confirmed that due to a delay in the rehabilitation services moving from the Ashurst site the opening of the new site had been delayed until Autumn 2007.

RESOLVED:

That it be noted that work was now progressing on the Ashurst site for the new birthing centre and an opening date be actively pursued with Southampton University Hospital Trust.

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

No community hospitals were put forward in the Hampshire County Council Area in the bid for capital funding put forward by South Central Strategic Health Authority. Funding for the redevelopment of the Fenwick Hospital, Lymington had, however, been secured through the Social Enterprise Network.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be kept appraised on the progress with work at The Fenwick Hospital.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

(c) West Sussex Primary Care Trust - Acute Service Reconfiguration

The West Sussex Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee had referred the conduct and consultation process undertaken by West Sussex Primary Care Trust to the Secretary of State for Health who had confirmed that he would be seeking the advice of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel on the matter. The West Sussex Primary Care Trust had declined a request from the Joint Committee to suspend the consultation pending he outcome of the Secretary of State's decision and the Joint committee had resolved to continue the scrutiny process. A series of themed Select Committee style meetings had been arranged covering Accident and Emergency services, Maternity and Paediatric services and Community services with additional meetings to enable key stakeholders to share their views. Hampshire and Portsmouth would be taking the lead in briefing members on key lines of inquiry relating to Accident and Emergency Services. Hampshire District Authorities, Members of Parliament and Patient and Public Involvement Forums had been kept appraised of this Committee's involvement and views.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be kept appraised of the progress of the West Sussex Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(d) Maternity Services in Southeast Hampshire

The Chief Executive circulated a letter from the Chairman of Portsmouth City Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel setting out the Panel's views about the proposals. The Chairman proposed that should a Joint Committee be required to scrutinise the proposals the members from the last Maternity Services Joint Committee, namely Councillors

Mrs. P. Dickens, R. Ellis, Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott and D. Wright should be to serve on any new Joint Committee. This would be agreed at the next meeting of the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight Health Scrutiny Joint Committee.

RESOLVED:

That should a new Joint Maternity Services Committee with Portsmouth City Council be required to scrutinise proposals for Maternity Services in Southeast Hampshire Councillors Mrs. P .Dickens, R. Ellis, Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott and D. Wright should be appointed to serve on it.

(e) Surrey Primary Care Trust - Fit for the Future Commissioning Intentions

The Chief Executive reported that Surrey Primary Care Trust had given notification that it intended to go out to consultation on its commissioning intentions for speciality services after its Board Meeting on 25 September 2007. The proposals were shown as Appendices 3 and 4 of the Chief Executive's report. The Chairman and Health Scrutiny Manager had met with representatives of Surrey Primary Care Trust to discuss the proposals and the impact any changes would have on Hampshire residents. A full business case was awaited and where the changes were clearly going to improve services and there had been a robust local stakeholder engagement the Committee may wish to consider, in consultation with Surrey County council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, a foreshortened consultation period.

RESOLVED:

That:

a. The Committee considers the full business case for the Surrey Primary

Care Trust Fit for the Future Commissioning Intentions to determine if

the proposed changes are substantial.

b. If the changes are considered substantial a formal Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be established with Surrey County Council Health overview and Scrutiny Committee.

116. SOUTH CENTRAL HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

COMMITTEES

RESOLVED:

That the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee be appointed as the

Committee's representatives on the South Central Health Overview and

Scrutiny Committees and that Councillor P. Edgar be appointed as the

nominated member should either the Chairman of Vice-Chairman be unable to

attend a meeting.

117. FORWARD PLAN

The Chief Executive presented the Committee's Forward Plan (Item 7

in the Minute Book). It was confirmed that Members were able to identify

issues of interest for inclusion in the forward plan

RESOLVED

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

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