Minutes for Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Health and Social Care) meeting, May 19 2009, 6.30PM official page

An apology for absence was received from Anne Brisbrown-Lee, Sefton Local Involvement Network (LINk).

A.        Membership of the Committee

The Chair paid tribute to the work achieved by Members of the Committee during 2008/09, and thanked departing Members, particularly the Spokespersons. He also welcomed new Members to the Committee.

B.        Scrutiny Team

The Chair announced that Janet Borgerson, the regular Overview and Scrutiny Officer for this Committee, was pregnant and he wished her well. He also announced that Michele Wainwright, the Head of Overview and Scrutiny, was also pregnant and that Debbie Campbell, Overview and Scrutiny Officer, would be the Acting Head of Overview and Scrutiny, whilst Michele was taking maternity leave.

(Including Party Whip Declarations)

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

The following declarations of interest were received:-

Member

Minute No.

Reason

Action

Councillor Hill

78 – Southport and Ormskirk Hospital N.H.S. Trust – Maternity Strategy

Personal – By virtue of his wife’s employment by the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital N.H.S. Trust

Took part in the consideration of the item and voted thereon.

Councillor Larkin

80 - Mersey Care N.H.S. Trust Update

Personal – By virtue of him being a carer for his mother

Took part in the consideration of the item and voted thereon.

Minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2009.

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report on the Maternity Strategy for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Executive, Southport and Ormskirk N.H.S. Trust updating Members on the Maternity Strategy which had recently been presented to the Trust Board. The report set out the following in relation to the Maternity Strategy:-

• the background, including requirements for all maternity units to be Baby Friendly Initiative Accredited and meet the standards set out in Maternity Matters, which was one of the key national reports for maternity services;

• the local birth figures;

• the proposal for the way forward, presented in three phases, each setting out requirements for staffing, accommodation and the Neo-Natal Unit; and

• the way forward.

The Trust Board had supported phase one of the Strategy and had agreed a funding allocation for additional staff.

Mike Frayne and Janette Brooks of Southport and Ormskirk N.H.S. Trust presented the report and responded to issues raised by Members.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       The report be noted and the Trust representatives be thanked for their informative presentation;

(2)       an update report, to include customer satisfaction levels and birth figures, be presented to this Committee in six months time; and

(3)       progress of the Southport and Ormskirk N.H.S. Trust actions against the proposals contained within the report be monitored.

Report of the Chief Executive

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Executive, N.H.S. Sefton on current issues impacting on healthcare provision in Sefton. Information was provided on the following:-

A.        Swine Flu (H1N1 Virus)

A great deal of partnership work had been taking place to ensure that health providers were prepared for this virus. A leaflet providing information to the public was currently being distributed to all homes across the country. Leigh Griffin, Chief Executive, N.H.S. Sefton, indicated that there had been two recent cases within Sefton and the people affected had recovered fully. He also reported that teenagers and young people were more vulnerable to the virus, and that there was a possibility that the virus could return and be more widespread next winter.

Councillor Larkin requested information regarding the cost of the anti-virals which were used to reduce the severity of the symptoms.

B.        Transforming Community Services

The document “Transforming Community Services: Enabling New Patterns of Provision” had been published by the Department of Health at the end of January 2009. This offered guidance on how providers of community services could develop services to deliver the Strategic Plan, meet future needs and bring care closer to home. A number of initiatives were on-going to ensure progress in this area.

C.        Recognition for Innovation

As part of the Transforming Community Services programme, funding had been awarded from N.H.S. North West for an innovative project aimed at creating a healthier workforce.

D.        Marketing Award

The “1000 Reflective Moments Appraisal Programme” for G.P.s, dentists and optometrists had been presented with a Drum Marketing Award during February 2009. The Corporate Performance and Standards Department of N.H.S. Sefton had been announced the winner of the “Internal Marketing Strategy of the Year” category at a gala awards evening in Manchester in April 2009.

E.        Bowel Cancer Awareness

A publicity campaign had taken place across Sefton during April 2009, to raise the profile of bowel cancer and to target the 60-69 years old age group, with publicity eing concentrated on those areas within Sefton where the uptake of screening has been lowest.

F.                 Cervical Screening

Mid May to mid June 2009 would see a publicity campaign across Sefton, raising the profile of cervical screening in the 25-34 years old age group. Women with learning disabilities were also being targeted as uptake of screening within this group was much lower than in the general female population.

G.        “It’s Your Choice” Campaign

Since April 2008, patients had been able to choose any hospital where their care was funded by the N.H.S. in England, once referred by their doctor to see a specialist. A road-show, promoting people’s right to choose where and when they were treated, toured the Southport and Bootle areas at the end of April 2009. Advice was provided regarding the “Choice” campaign, along with a range of other health issues.

Councillor Larkin considered that although choice of health care was being offered, transport links to and from some hospitals outside the Borough, particularly between Linacre Ward, had not occurred, despite assurances that they would be. He also raised the issue of parents seeking night-time treatment, in the event that they had difficulties arranging childcare cover.

The Chief Executive reported that family circumstances were taken into account and a home visit would be arranged, if deemed necessary.

H.        N.H.S. Sefton - Finance

The Chief Executive reported that, in view of the current economic climate, it was likely that the financial situation for N.H.S. Sefton could be particularly challenging in the year ahead. He would report back to this Committee in the event of any particular action deemed necessary to address this issue.

I.          Joint Commissioning Functions

The Chief Executive reported that the relevant functions from N.H.S. Sefton and Sefton’s Health & Social Care Department would be co-locating to Merton House, Bootle, which would enable the potential to provide joint commissioning functions and could provide closer working & economies of scale.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               N.H.S Sefton be thanked for the report;

(2)       details on the cost-effectiveness of the anti-virals used to reduce the severity of the symptoms of the H1N1 virus, be reported back to this Committee;

(3)       N.H.S. Sefton be requested to consider the issue of transport links for Sefton patients to hospitals, particularly those outside the Borough;

(4)       N.H.S. Sefton be congratulated for the receipt of the awards referred to; and

(3)       N.H.S. Sefton’s actions against recommendations and proposals contained in the report, be monitored, as appropriate.

Report of the Chief Executive

Further to Minute No. 71 of 7 April 2009, the Committee considered the report of the Chief Executive, Mersey Care N.H.S. Trust on current issues impacting on healthcare provision in Sefton. Information was provided on the following, and Alan Yates, Chief Executive Mersey Care N.H.S. Trust, responded to questions and issues raised by Members :-

A.        TIME Project (Mersey Care Footprint)

As a new model of care, Mersey Care was seeking to develop five centres with a total of 285 beds, for the provision of mental health services, as an alternative to hospitals, for residents of Sefton, Liverpool and Kirkby. The outline business case would be made to the appropriate P.C.T. Boards and a phased approach would be adopted for the project, which would be delivered via the LIFT procurement route.

Members raised the issue of mental health services for older people and the treatment of dementia.

B.        High Secure Services

The Secretary of State for Health had recently renewed the licence for Mersey Care to operate Ashworth High Secure Hospital, Maghull, for a further five year period.

C.        FTe Update

The Department of Health had confirmed that Foundation Trust Equivalent status would be introduced for groups of N.H.S. organisations which jointly delivered a service. As this status would be available to the three Trusts which delivered the high secure service at Ashworth Hospital, Mersey Care would be able to formally apply for this status.

D. Care Manifesto

A DVD had been produced to promote Mersey Care’s Care Manifesto, which made a series of commitments to service users, carers and staff about what they could expect from the service provided, and this would be used as a training tool for front-line staff.

E.        Flu Pandemic

The Trust had undertaken a self-assessment of its arrangements in the event of a flu pandemic. The results indicated compliance against the key benchmarks established by Liverpool P.C.T., the Mersey and Cheshire regional lead for emergency planning. Further training and support to staff who would be required to provide direct care to patients experiencing the effects of flu in the event of a pandemic, would be provided.

F.         N.H.S. Litigation Authority (NHSLA) Assessment

Following assessment against the standards relating to the management and minimisation of risk, the Trust had been considered compliant at level 1 of the assurance process. The findings would be used to strengthen arrangements by the Trust which would possibly seek assessment at level 2 at the next formal assessment in twelve months time.

G.        Your Well Being in Mind Project (Mersey Care Footprint)

This project, involving service users and staff of Mersey Care N.H.S. Trust and local P.C.T.s., had developed a proposed new model of service which had been accepted by Primary Care Groups and was currently being communicated to the local service user and clinical communities. A business case to determine implementation, together with workforce and financial resources required, was currently being developed.

H.        Clinical Business Units (Mersey Care Footprint)

Clinical Business Units (C.B.U.s) focused on quality, enabling clinical staff close to the service to make decisions regarding the quality and efficiency of the service with a fundamental tool for service improvement. A number of C.B.U.s within Mersey Care Trust would go live from July 2009.

I.          Recent Events

The report outlined the following recent events with regard to Mersey Care:-

• Rating of in-patient drug treatment service;
• Success in a national competition for “thinking differently”;
• Development of a community based eating disorder service;
• The development of peri-natal care with Liverpool Women’s hospital;
• Plans to extend the current pilot for adult mental health services to those service users seeking asylum or refugee status;
• Enabling service users to access gym passes and courses for creative writing, drama, and dance.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               Mersey Care N.H.S Trust be thanked for the report;

(2)       the issue of dementia be considered as part of this Committee’s Work Programme for 2009/10; and

(3)       Mersey Care N.H.S. Trust’s actions against recommendations and proposals contained within the report, be monitored, as appropriate.

Report of the Legal Director

The Committee considered the report of the Legal Director attaching the latest Key Decision Forward Plan which contained all the Key Decisions which the Executive was anticipated to take during the above period. The Committee was advised of its right to pre-scrutinise any Key Decision which fell under its remit.

The report also provided an update on the activities of the Committee’s current Working Groups, together with site visits currently being organised.

With regard to the Forward Plan published on 13 May 2009, the Chair requested information relating to the following Key Decisions:-

• Minor Repairs and Adaptations Service (handyperson scheme);
• Stroke Strategy for Sefton;
• Transfer of Learning Disability Services resources from NHS Sefton to Sefton Council; and
• Sefton’s Housing Capital Programme 2009/2010.

The Principal Manager, Health and Social Care, Sefton M.B.C., briefly outlined matters relating to the above Key Decisions.

The Chair also urged Members to attend the Work Programme session for this Committee, scheduled for 30 June 2009, together with the site visits currently being organised.

RESOLVED: That

(1).      the contents of the Forward Plan, together with the report, be accepted;

(2)       the Work Programme and actions taken to date by the Working Groups be supported; and

(3)       the site visits currently being organised be supported.