Agenda for Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (discontinued) on Wednesday, 8th December, 2010, 4.00pm
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Agenda and minutes
PDF 192 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Giles Rossington, Scrutiny Support Officer
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(copy attached) Minutes: 33A Declarations of Substitutes
33.1 Councillor Davis was present as substitute for Councillor Marsh.
33.2 Councillor Randall was present as substitute for Councillor Rufus.
33.3 Apologies were received from Councillor Jayne Bennett.
33B Declarations of Interest
33.4 There were none.
33C Declarations of Party Whip
33.5 There were none.
33D Exclusion of Press and Public
33.6 In accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it was considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any items contained in the agenda, having regard to the nature of the business to be transacted and the nature of the proceedings and the likelihood as to whether, if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of confidential or exempt information as defined in section 100I (1) of the said Act.
33.7 RESOLVED – That the Press and Public be not excluded from the meeting.
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting Draft minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2010 (copy attached) Minutes: 34.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2010 be approved and signed by the Chairman.
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Chairman's Communications Minutes: 35.1 There were none. |
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Public Questions No public questions have been received
Minutes: 36.1 There were none. |
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Notices of Motion referred from Council No Notices of Motion have been received Minutes: 37.1 There were none. |
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Written Questions from Councillors No questions have been received
Minutes: 38.1 There were none. |
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Presentation by the Strategic Director, People Terry Parkin, Strategic Director, People, at Brighton & Hove City Council, will address the committee Minutes: 39.1 Terry Parkin, Strategic Director, People, addressed the committee.
39.2 In response to a question from Cllr Randall concerning the imminent transfer of Public Health responsibilities from Primary Care Trusts to Local Authorities, Mr Parkin told members that this represented a real opportunity to improve public health services, particularly in terms of increasing engagement with city organisations such as sports clubs.
39.3 The Chairman thanked Mr Parkin for his attendance and asked that he update the committee in six months time. |
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South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust (SECamb): update Presentation by Geraint Davies, SECamb Director of Business Development, on planned developments at the trust (presentation slides circulated separately) Minutes: 40.1 This item was introduced by Geraint Davies, Director of Business Development, South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECamb); and by Geoff Catling, SECamb Director of Technical Services and Logistics.
40.2 In response to a question from Cllr Barnett on cleaning of ambulances, Mr Catling told members that there was a rigorous daily cleaning regime, backed up by monthly swab tests. The trust was confident that this cleaning regime was robust, as all swab tests were negative.
40.3 In answer to a query from Cllr Randall about the use of paramedic motorcycles, the committee was informed that only one motorcycle was currently in use in the Brighton & Hove area, and this only during the summer months. In general, motorcycles were seen as too dangerous for paramedic staff to use, and were being phased out.
40.4 In response to a question from Cllr Harmer-Strange as to why SECamb’s ‘make ready’ initiative had been introduced in the East of the trust’s operational area, Mr Davies told members that this decision had been dictated by logistical concerns: SECamb owned suitable sites for large depots in the East of its patch, but not in the West.
40.5 In response to a question from Cllr Harmer-Strange regarding the potential for co-location with other emergency services, Mr Catling told the committee that such co-locations were always considered as an option if they made sense in terms of patient safety. However, it was relatively rare that such a co-location did make sense. There was generally more value in co-locating ambulance services with health centres, and SECamb had been involved in very successful projects of this type in Lancing and Whitstable.
40.6 Mr Davies extended an invitation to HOSC members to come and see one of SECamb’s operational ‘make ready’ depots, and trusted that members would support the trust in obtaining the best possible site for a Brighton depot, perhaps ideally at Patcham Court Farm.
40.7 The Chairman thanked Mr Davies and Mr Catling for their contributions. |
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Patient Experience Presentation on measuring patient experience of healthcare and ensuring that patient feedback is used to improve quality.
At this meeting, members will hear from officers of NHS Brighton & Hove (responsible for commissioning services that are responsive to patient experience and for quality assuring city healthcare), and from officers of Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals Trust (responsible for providing high quality acute healthcare services for city residents).
At subsequent committee meetings, it is planned that members will hear from officers of other local NHS trusts and from representatives of city GPs Minutes: 41.1 This item was introduced by Martin Campbell, Head of Engagement, NHS Brighton & Hove; Sherree Fagge, Chief Nurse, Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUHT); and Peter Flavell, Patient Experience Manager, BSUHT.
41.2 In response to a question from Jack Hazelgrove as to why there were so few GP practice patient groups in the city, Mr Campbell informed the committee that, to date, there had been little incentive for GPs to work with patient groups. However, this would become much more important with the introduction of GP commissioning, as GP consortia will assume some of the public engagement responsibilities of PCTs). Both Mr Campbell and Amanda Fadero, Chief Executive, NHS Brighton & Hove, assured members that local GPs were extremely enthusiastic about developing their engagement role.
41.3 In answer to a query from the Chairman as to whether the national GP patient survey contacted people registered with a GP or only those patients who had actually accessed GP services in the past year, Ms Fadero told the committee that it was likely that the survey was for any registered patients.
41.4 In response to a question from Cllr Barnett as to whether in-patients responded candidly to surveys (i.e. whether they were willing to criticise aspects of their care whilst continuing to receive care), Mr Flavell told members that his experience was that patients were willing to make robust comments. A key factor here was to ensure that trusts collected ‘real-time’ information and responded promptly to it, so that patients could actually see that there comments were being taken seriously.
41.5 In answer to a question from the Chairman regarding processes for feeding-back information to patients who had responded to surveys, Mr Flavell told members that effective feed-back mechanisms were still being developed, but that they might well take the form of ward-specific “You said – We did” notice boards.
41.6 Robert Brown told members that the LINk had developed an excellent working relationship with BSUHT and was supportive of the trust’s engagement with patients. However, there was still an issue with some patients understanding what they were entitled to – particularly so with patients suffering confusion (e.g. dementia). Ms Fagge responded that the trust was aware of this issue and was actively looking for better ways to reach out to confused patients – e.g. through the “sit and see” initiative.
41.7 The Chairman thanked Mr Campbell, Mr Flavell and Ms Fagge for their contributions. |
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Brighton & Hove LINk: 6 monthly update
Update on the recent activity of the Brighton & Hove Local Involvement Network (LINk) and on the council’s management of the LINk Host contract (copy attached) Additional documents: Minutes: 42.1 This item was introduced by Robert Brown, BHLINk Steering Group Chairman. Mr Brown detailed the LINk’s recent activity in areas including medicine wastage, hospital discharge, mental health, dentistry and hospital car parking.
42.2 Mr Brown told members that the LINk was in the process of referring a recommendation top HOSC that the free swimming scheme for city residents over 65 be continued.
42.3 In response to a question from Cllr Deane about the LINk’s recent ‘Dragon’s Den’ event, Mr Brown told members that this was a one-off event, held because the LINk had under-spent its last year’s budget and had spare cash to use.
42.4 The Chairman expressed the committee’s gratitude to the LINk for the excellent work it had done and thanked Mr Brown for his contribution. |
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Report of the Strategic Director, Resources, on current Department of Health consultations focusing on parental choice and on healthcare information (copy attached) Minutes: 43.1 Members discussed whether the committee should formally respond to these Department of Health consultations.
43.2 RESOLVED – That the report should be noted, but that there should be no formal HOSC response to the Department of Health consultations on ‘choice’ and ‘information’. |
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NHS Brighton & Hove Annual Operating Plan 2011/12: report back from the HOSC working group Report of the Strategic Director, Resources, on the findings of the HOSC working party set up to examine the NHS Brighton & Hove Annual Operating Plan 2010-11 (copy attached) Additional documents: Minutes: 44.1 Members discussed the findings of the HOSC working group set up to examine NHS Brighton & Hove’s Annual Operating Plan for 2010-11.
44.2 Both the members who sat on the working group and the Chief Executive of NHS Brighton & Hove agreed that the process had been a useful one. It was agreed that the working group should meet again early in the new year to look at the final draft of the AOP.
44.3 Cllr Allen asked the Chief Executive of NHS Brighton & Hove to convey the working group’s thanks to the PCT officers who engaged directly with the working group.
44.4 RESOLVED – That the report be noted; another meeting of the working group be convened in 2011 to examine the final draft of the AOP; and the HOSC work programme (amended to include recommendations for work programme items made by the HOSC working group) be agreed by members. |
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Items to go forward to Cabinet or the relevant Cabinet Member Meeting To consider items to be submitted to the next available Cabinet or Cabinet Member meeting Minutes: 45.1 There were none. |
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Items to go forward to Council To consider items to be submitted to the next Council meeting for information Minutes: 46.1 There were none. |