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, 24 November 2009.

PRESENT

Chairman:

p Councillor Anna McNair Scott

Vice-Chairman:

p Councillor Pat West

Councillors:

Co-opted Members:

Councillors:

p Marion Kerley

p Ray Love

p Peter Luffman

a John Marsh

Also in attendance Tom Smith, Chairman, Hampshire LINk

15. 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 Brian Collin - wife employed by NHS

Councillor Phryn Dickens - employed by NHS

Councillor Peter Edgar - does work for NHS

Councillor David Harrison - employed by NHS

Councillor Peter Luffman - Healthcare Worker

Councillor Marian Kerley - Member of Andover War Memorial Hospital

League of Friends

Councillor Pam Mutton - daughter employed by NHS and Member of

Andover War Memorial Hospital League of

Friends

Councillor Pat West - daughter-in law employed by NHS.

16. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 29 September 2009 were confirmed as a correct record, and signed by the Chairman.

17. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION

a. South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Chairman reported that at the meeting of the South Central Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees held on 10 November 2009 she had been reappointed as Chairman. The main item for discussion was changes to emergency treatment for heart attacks.

b. Andover Birth Centre

The Chairman reported that she had agreed that proposals for the temporary closure of Andover Birth Centre should be included on the agenda as an urgent item.

18. WORK PROGRAMME

The Chief Executive presented the Committee's Work Programme (Item 4 in the Minute Book). The possibility of Winchester Befrienders, a group established to help people with mental health problems, giving a presentation to a future meeting was considered and it was agreed that this should happen when time allowed.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee's Work Programme be approved subject to the issues raised at this meeting.

19. 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. Continuing Care

Clarification had been sought about arrangements for a series of preferred providers to support people requiring continuing care. NHS Hampshire and Adult Services had been working together on arrangements for the development of a policy on continuing care which was scheduled to be ready for September 2010.

RESOLVED:

That an update on the progress with the policy on continuing care be presented to the Committee in September 2010.

b. Minor Injuries Facilities in Southeast Hampshire - Improving Access

NHS Hampshire gave a presentation on helping people to make better use of urgent care. Details were given about the research that had taken place into urgent care usage and behaviours, the use of information, targeted actions for key influencers and testing and responding. Members highlighted the confusion caused by the terms minor injuries units, accident treatment centres and walk in centres which, because of uncertainty, had caused patients to go to accident and emergency units for a variety of conditions which could have been treated at other facilities. They stressed that there was a need to educate the public as to what was practical at different facilities and suggested that using television programmes to promote this could be helpful. Concern was also expressed about the lack of reference to the ambulance service and the need for it to be engaged with the various services to enable patients to be treated appropriately.

RESOLVED:

That an update on Minor Injuries Units in southeast Hampshire be presented to the Committee in July 2010

c. NHS Hampshire Five Year Strategy

Jonathan Montgomery, Chairman of NHS Hampshire outlined the challenges being faced by NHS Hampshire to 2014. He said that, at present, NHS Hampshire was not performing at its best and outlined the pattern of spend. More money was spent on acute services then the planning model predicted with more activity being reported by hospitals. There was a need to look at the system as a whole and not at individual silos, to this end they were working in partnership with other agencies. There was a need to shape the NHS around the people who used it and not around those who provided it. Members agreed that partnership working was important and sought a fuller update on the five year strategy at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:

That Jonathan Montgomery be thanked for his presentation and a fuller update on the NHS Hampshire five year strategy be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.

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

Following the recommendations made at the last meeting of the Committee Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust had now established a Northeast Hampshire Steering Group to oversee the implementation of the planned changes in northeast Hampshire. The terms of reference and membership of the steering group had been agreed with Rushmoor Borough Council and Hart District Council.

RESOLVED:

That the Northeast Hampshire Steering Group, established by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust, be requested to feed back to the Committee in twelve months time.

b. Fluoridation of Drinking Water in Southampton and Southwest Hampshire

The Chief Executive reported that the judicial review into the fluoridation of drinking water in Southampton and southwest Hampshire was still awaited. Recent figures had shown that the health of children's teeth in the area had improved.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be briefed on the outcome of the judicial review.

Under items requiring action he gave details on:-

c. Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Proposals to Modernise Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation

The Chief Executive and Medical Director of Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust advised the Committee on the progress that had been made with the modernisation of Adult Mental Health rehabilitation and the reasons for the proposals. Concern had been expressed about the closure of units on safety grounds. The Chairman said that it was deeply unhelpful that comment and feedback was still being received from staff and local MPs about the impact on patients and staff resulting from the closure of Ellingham ward in particular. If the patient benefits identified by the Trust were being delivered agreement on how services needed to be developed was expected. It was agreed that there was a need for a suitably qualified clinical view about how best the conflict could be resolved. It was proposed that NHS Hampshire, as commissioners to the services, working with Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust, should identify a process through which an independent view of the current proposals could be obtained, this should include information about the classification of acute beds and an impact assessment of the proposals, and should command the confidence of all parties and address the clinical issues that had been raised.

RESOLVED:

That that NHS Hampshire, as commissioners to the services, working with Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust, identify a process whereby an independent view of the current proposals could be obtained, this to include information about the classification of acute beds and an impact assessment of the proposals and should command the confidence of all parties and address the clinical issues that had been raised. The process to be agreed by 4 December 2009.

d. West Sussex Primary Care Trust: Acute Service Reconfiguration

The Chief Executive reported that West Sussex Primary Care Trust had confirmed that it was now not taking forward proposals to change the configuration of maternity services, in-patient paediatrics and emergency services in West Sussex. There would be a final meeting of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 2 December 2009 to confirm that there would not be any change to these services. The Committee expressed its thanks to Dennis Wright for his hard work on the Joint Committee whilst a County Councillor.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee notes the proposals of West Sussex Primary care Trust and the subsequent intention to disband the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

e. South Central Strategic Health Authority - Provision of Primary Angioplasty Services

The Chief Executive reported that a meeting of the Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight Health Scrutiny Joint Committee would be held on 1 December 2009 to scrutinise the proposals for the provision of primary angioplasty services.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be updated on the deliberations of the Joint Committee.

f. NHS Hampshire - Proposals to Cease the Development of Oak Park Hospital, Havant

The Chief Executive reported that the Chairman had written to NHS Hampshire setting out the Committee's concerns. The only assessment that had taken place to date was financial which was not sufficient to make the case for stopping a development of this nature, the need for which had been made forcefully in the business case. The people living in the area were amongst the most deprived in Hampshire and the needs of the population. It was agreed that there was a need to see the full impact assessment and option appraisal, including the reinstatement of the current plans for Oak Park Hospital. The options must address all aspects of services that were to be provided through Oak Park Hospital.

RESOLVED:

That NHS Hampshire reports back to the Committee in January 2010 providing a full impact assessment and option appraisal, including the reinstatement of the current plans for Oak Park Hospital which must address all aspects of services that were to be provided through Oak Park Hospital.

g. Andover Birth Unit

The Chairman reported that there were proposals to temporarily close Andover Birth Unit because of current staff shortages. Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust said that they had regrettably taken the decision for the temporarily closure although midwives would continue to attend home births and antenatal clinics at the centre and clinic sessions at GP surgeries. It was stressed that the closure was only because of staff shortages and not for financial reasons. It was proposed that the centre would reopen in March 2010. All parents had been made aware of the temporary closure and alternative arrangements made for each. Members expressed concerns about the closure and were reassured that it was only temporary.

RESOLVED:

That Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust reports back to the Committee in March 2010 on the reopening of Andover Birth Centre.