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 Friday, 12 October 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

p P. Luffman

p J. Marsh

Also in attendance:

Councillors: Mrs. P. G. Banks (Executive Member for Children and Families);

Felicity Hindson, MBE (Executive Member for Adult Social Care)

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 P. Edgar - does work for NHS

Councillor D. Wright - wife a General Practice Manager.

Councillor L. Dunsdon - wife employed by NHS

118. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 25 September 2007 were

confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

119. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION

a. Incontinent Patients

The Chairman reported a Member had queried the practice in a care home

restricting incontinent patients to four incontinent pads in any 24 hour period

and it had been confirmed that this had been the policy in the former Mid-

Hampshire Primary Care Trust. This raised a number of questions about the

dignity of patients as well as potential health/infection control issues.

RESOLVED:

That the Hampshire Primary Care Trust be requested for the rationale/evidence

underpinning this policy, how it is enforced, what happens if a patient needs

more pads and whether the policy is prevalent across Hampshire as well as the

cost implications of making these pads available according to need.

120. APPOINTMENT OF CO-OPTED MEMBER

The Chief Executive reported the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Government Association had nominated Councillor P. Luffman to fill the

co-opted member vacancy on the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor P. Luffman be appointed as a Co-opted Member of the Committee.

121. COUNTESS MOUNTBATTEN HOSPICE

Representatives from Southampton University Hospitals Trust gave a presentation on the finances around the provision of services at Countess Mountbatten Hospice. They had been working closely with the Friends of the Hospice and Hampshire and Southampton City Primary Care Trusts resulting in funding being secured to keep all beds open at the Hospice for the remainder of this financial year. The Hampshire and Southampton City Primary Care

Trusts had prepared an action plan and had been working with the Friends of

the Hospice and Southampton University Hospitals Trust to secure funding for the next financial year and beyond.

RESOLVED:

That Southampton University Hospital Trust be requested to present an update on progress with financing for the Countess Mountbatten Hospice to the Committee on 5 February 2007.

The Chairman left the meeting during the course of the next item and the Vice-Chairman took the Chair.

______________________________________________________

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

_______________________________________________________

122. CARE AT THE END OF LIFE

Claire Hooke, Commissioning Manager, Adult Services, Hampshire County Council and Elizabeth Emms, Head of Adult Services, Hampshire Primary Care Trust gave a presentation on the work being carried out by the County Council and the Primary Care Trust following the Care at the End of Life Review. They gave details of the achievements to date which included:

· Joint vision and project management by the Primary Care Trust and Local Authority

· Project Steering Group established - meeting monthly

· Commitment from acute hospitals, carers, hospices, Local Authority, Primary Care Trust, Strategic Health Authority and voluntary sector

· Project plan priorities recommendations updated monthly.

and the priorities were identified as:

· Mapping current provision across all sectors

· Identifying the gaps

· Extend web page to become a data base for professionals

· Developing a web page for public.

A web site was in the process of being introduced to enable anybody to find relevant information and contacts. Training needs were being identified and joint training for all staff was planned.

They explained the impact of the new continuing healthcare guidance, care assessments, the current and planned access to community nursing and out of hours pharmacy and the progress being made with the supply of specialist equipment following the introduction of a new equipment store.

Details were given of care assessments, the proposed carers audit, population needs analysis, places of death (home, nursing/residential homes, hospices and hospitals), the Liverpool Care of the Dying Pathway and the Gold Standards Framework.

Improvements specific for individuals at the end of life were:

· Fast Track Referrals, timely service provision and urgency identified for patients at the end of life..

· Liaison with other professionals.

· Specialist Staff and advice.

· Equipment in stock

and the way forward was to maintain momentum and motivation of the Steering group by:

· Improving the personal experience of people at the end of life

· Undertaking Primary Care Trust Baseline Review

· Exploring further pooling of budgets

· Ensuring developments reflect national guidance.

They envisaged that best practice would become the `norm' across Hampshire.

RESOLVED:

That a further update be presented to the Committee at its next meeting detailing progress with:

· Action to reduce necessary patient transfers and promote timely transport.

· Progress with the single assessment process.

· The outcome of the audit information for carers.

· Progress with the development of the carers strategy.