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, 23 September 2008.

PRESENT

Chairman:

p Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott

Vice-Chairman:

p Councillor Mrs. P.A. West

Councillors:

Co-opted Members:

Councillors:

Mrs. M. Kerley

p R. Love

p P. Luffman

p J. Marsh

158. 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 save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 12 of the Code .

The following members declared a personal interest:

Councillor Mrs. P. Dickens - employed by NHS and on Advisory Committee of The Trinity Centre, Winchester

Councillor D. Wright - wife a General Practice Manager.

Councillor R. Love - on Advisory Committee of The Trinity Centre, Winchester

Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott - on Advisory Committee of The Trinity Centre, Basingstoke

Councillor P. Edgar - does work for the NHS

Councillor Mrs. P. West - Basingstoke Hospital Governor, Andover War Memorial Hospital Stakeholder and daughter-in law works for NHS

Councillor. D. Harrison - employed by NHS

Councillor P. Luffman - Healthcare Worker

159. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 22 July 2008 were confirmed as a correct record, and signed by the Chairman.

160. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION

a. Local Involvement Networks (LINks)

The Chairman reported that the Hampshire LINk had now been established and that representatives would be invited to future meetings of the Committee.

b. Meetings with NHS Trusts

The Chairman reported that she had been meeting with Chief Executives and Chairmen of NHS trusts in the area.

c. Meetings with Districts

The Chairman reported that she had met with East Hampshire District Council on 2 September and would be arranging meetings with the other districts as soon as the fluoride debate allowed.

d. Maternity Services in Southwest Hampshire

The Chairman reported that the new Ashurst Birth Centre had opened on 1 September 2008. The Centre had seven beds and two birthing pools . The total cost of the centre was £1.2m.

161. CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER AND CORPORATE HOMICIDE ACT 2007

The Chief Executive gave a presentation on the effects on the County Council of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

162. INQUIRIES RECEIVED AND ACTION TAKEN

The Chief Executive presented a report on enquiries received, the

source of each enquiry and the action taken (Item 5 in the Minute Book). The enquiries related to:-

a. Southeast Capacity Plan

The Chairman had written to Hampshire Primary Care Trust requesting that a detailed briefing on the southeast capacity plan, including the changes that would take place once the development of Queen Alexandra Hospital was completed, be presented to the Committee on 25 November 2008. Members requested information about the future of cancer treatment following the centralisation services when Queen Alexandra had been completed and expressed concerns about the travel problems Gosport residents might encounter when the Royal Haslar Hospital closes.

b. Oak Park Hospital, Havant

Hampshire Primary Care Trust updated the Committee on the proposals to redevelop the Oak Park site and the anticipated configuration of services. The broad range of services planned for the site had remained consistent over the past five years preserving the integrity of the involvement and consultation process.

c. Mental Health Services at Andover War Memorial Hospital

Councillor Mrs West, who, with Councillor Mrs. Kerley, had been appointed as Lead Members to act as a link with Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust, gave an update on the current position with the Alan Gardner Unit. They had met with Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust and a meeting with staff at the Alan Gardner Unit had been arranged.

d. Milford on Sea War Memorial Hospital

The Committee received an update on the services currently provided at Milford on Sea War Memorial Hospital shown at Appendix three to the Chief Executive's report.

e. Ambulance Service/Road Closures

The Director of Environment and South Central Ambulance NHS Trust gave presentations updating the Committee on procedures that took place to ensure that the Ambulance Service was advised of road closures and proposed alternative routes to ensure minimum delay for ambulances attending situations. The Environment Department published up to date information on the web including emergency closures within two hours of the commencement of works. As from 1 December 2008 Hampshire Ambulances would have a computer aided dispatch service which would improve services. Members requested an update in July 2009.

f. Access to Short Breaks for Children with Life Threatening Conditions

The response of Hampshire Primary Care Trust to the Children and Young People Select Committee was shown as Appendix Five to the Chief Executive's report. Basic work was being done in conjunction with Hampshire Children's Services and optimum models of outcome were being worked on. Members requested an update in March 2009 to enable confirmation of the revenue lines for 2009/10.

g. Access to Health Services for People who are Homeless

Hampshire Primary Care Trust gave an oral update on services provided to and for homeless people across Hampshire and agreed to present a full report to the next meeting of the Committee. Basic work was underway on optimum models of care.

h. Healthy Horizons

Hampshire Primary Care Trust gave a presentation setting out how its long term strategy `Healthy Horizons' had been updated and what its visions aims and strategic goals were as outlined in Appendix Six to the Chief Executive's report. It was agreed that the Primary Care Trust should give an update to the Committee at a future meeting.

i. Community Strategy

Hampshire Primary Care Trust gave a presentation on the development of proposals to separate primary and community service provision from its role as a commissioner of services. The plans and principles underpinning the process were set out in Appendix Seven to the Chief Executive's report. The main aim was to support patients to stay in their own homes wherever possible.

j. Potential Changes to General Practitioner Dispensing

The Department of Health was consulting on proposals to change General Practitioner dispensing, the purpose of which was to improve the range, quality and accessibility of services that were available through pharmacies. It was agreed not to respond to the consultation but Members requested to be advised of the outcome and any impact it would have on access to pharmacy services in Hampshire. The Chief Executive advised the Committee of a query raised by a Member on dispensing practice and it was agreed that this should be referred to the Primary Care Trust for a response.

k. Unscheduled Care Project

Hampshire Primary care Trust had alerted the Committee to a draft proposal to look at the provision of unscheduled care in the Winchester area. The local health and social care economy in Winchester had agreed to redesign the unscheduled care system to ensure that it was patient focused and providing the right care in the right place at the right time.

RESOLVED:

That:

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

ii. Hampshire Primary Care Trust be requested to provide information on the centralisation services when Queen Alexandra had been completed and expressed concerns about the travel problems Gosport residents might encounter when the Royal Haslar Hospital closes as part of its report on the Southeast Capacity Plan.

iii. An update report on the Ambulance Service and Road Closures be presented to the Committee in July 2009.

iv. An update on Access to Short Breaks for Children with Life Threatening Conditions be presented to the Committee in March 2009.

v. A full report on Access to Health Services for People who are Homeless be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.

vi. The Primary Care Trust gives an update on Healthy Horizons to the Committee at a future meeting.

vii. The Committee be advised of the outcome of any changes to General Practitioner dispensing services and the impact it would have on access in due course.

163. 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 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. Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust - Outpatients Department Re-Location

The Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust had advised the Committee that it was currently exploring the feasibility of relocating some outpatient services to another site in Winchester, possibly the former Winchester City Council Offices in Chesil Street. The proposals were in the very early stages of development.

RESOLVED:

That Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust provide the Committee with regular updates on progress with the initative.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

a. West Sussex Primary Care Trust - Acute Service Reconfiguration

The West Sussex Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, after considering all of the evidence received over the past year, resolved to refer the proposals of the West Sussex Primary Care Trust for Acute Service Reconfiguration to the Secretary of State for Health. The Secretary of State had requested the Independent Reconfiguration Panel to look at the proposals.

RESOLVED:

That:

i. The Committee be kept appraised of the Secretary of State's decision and any move to reconvene he Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny to consider the Secretary of State's decision.

ii. Councillors Mrs. A. Buckley and D Wright continue to represent the views of Hampshire at any further Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny meetings.

b. Fluoridation of Water in Southampton and Southwest Hampshire

South Central Strategic Health Authority had launched the consultation on proposals to add fluoride to drinking water in Southampton and parts of southwest Hampshire, the consultation period running from 8 September to 19 December 2008. An initial briefing had been given to the Fluoridation Review Panel on 4 September and the Panel would be receiving evidence from key stakeholders on 25 September and 6 October 2008. The Panel would present its findings and recommendations to the full meeting of the County Council on 20 November 2008.

RESOLVED:

That, where necessary, the Committee's planned work programme be adjusted to allow officer support to Members of the Review Panel.

c. Department of Health: Transforming the Quality of Dementia Care

In order to maximise the opportunity to influence the response from central government a joint response, shown as Appendix Two to the Chief Executive's report, from this Committee, Hampshire Adult Services and Hampshire Primary Care Trust was submitted to the Department of Health on 10 September 2008.

RESOLVED:

That the joint response to the Department of Health be noted.

d. Department of Health: National Health Service Constitution

A draft setting out the key issues raised by the consultation on the National Health Service Constitution was shown as Appendix Three to he Chief Executive's report. The proposals include:

· Principles and values of the NHS.

· Rights of patients, the public and staff.

· Pledges which the NHS will strive to deliver

· Responsibilities for the public, patients and staff.

RESOLVED:

That:

i. The draft document be used as the basis for the Committee's response to the Department of Health.

ii. Any additional comments be sent to the Health Scrutiny Manager by 9 October 2008

e. Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust - Proposals to Reconfigure 24 Hour Assessment and Treatment (Inpatient Mental Health Services)

Further to concerns raised by the Committee and the lack of support to the proposals from Hampshire Adult Services and Hampshire Primary Care Trust the Chairman wrote to Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust advising it that the Committee would not support formal publication of the proposals until such time that there was agreement by all key stakeholders on the way forward. Despite this the Trust went to formal consultation on 1 September 2008, a copy of which was shown as Appendix Four to the Chief Executive's report. The consultation document gave no information about the impact of the proposed changes on Hampshire residents.

RESOLVED:

i. The scope for further action to facilitate a constructive resolution of this matter be explored with Hampshire Adult Services, Hampshire Primary Care Trust, Surrey County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and South Central and Southeast Strategic Health Authorities.

ii. Consideration be given to referring the matter to The Secretary of State if a constructive resolution to the issues cannot be achieved.

164. FORWARD PLAN

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

in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED

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

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