Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes and summary of the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Sub Committee held on 20 November 2011

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2012 were approved.

Being the only Member willing to serve, Wendy Mead was elected as Chairman for 2013/14.

Being the only Member willing to serve, Dhruv Patel was Elected Deputy Chairman for 2013/14.

Before commencing the substantive business of the agenda, the Strategy and Performance Director presented the sub committee’s Terms of Reference and explained the scope for call in.  Members were reminded that Healthwatch and other local patient representative bodies can refer items to this sub-committee. However if NHS bodies are proposing service changes which could impact on residents across a number of local authority areas they can ask for a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel to be formed to scrutinise any proposals for change. In recent years it has been necessary to set up a Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee for Inner North East London on several occasions. Members were asked to be mindful of the increase in proposals for change, as a result of the current economic climate and budgetary cuts and asked to elect a representative at this meeting so that an additional meeting did not have to be called if a JHOSC was required at short notice. 

Three Members expressed an interest in serving on the INEL JHOSC but Mr Anderson and Miss Price relinquished the position to Wendy Mead (Chairman), given her extensive experience in this area.  The Chairman welcomed the interest from other Members and invited them to join her as observers.  Members noted that the Deputy Chairman, Mr Patel, would deputise for her. 

RESOLVED – That Wendy Mead be appointed as the NE London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Representative. 

RESOLVED – that Mr David Simpson be co-opted as a representative for Healthwatch. The Town Clerk advised that Healthwatch was also entitled to appoint a further Co-optee).

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services setting out the smoking cessation performance for 2012/13 and the key projects for 2013/14.    Members were very pleased to note good performance, above the 4 week target, and were advised that, after this time, smokers were more likely to quit long term. 

Members asked if any public events had been planned, given that the number of City smokers was above the national average. The Director offered to investigate this as part of the healthy workplace offer.   In respect of monitoring the achievement of the 4 week target over a longer period, the representative from the Tobacco Control Alliance advised that extra support was offered after 4 weeks, although this was not part of the contracted service and that the medication lasted for 12 weeks. 

The Director advised that there was some public health budget available which could accommodate a piece of research into smoking cessation rates after 6 months and onwards.  Members welcomed this suggestion.

RESOLVED – That, given the increasing number of young smokers, all of the City of the London Schools (including the Freemen’s School) be encouraged to participate in a national young people’s competition which seeks to discourage smoking. 

Report of Barts NHS Trust

Members welcomed the Head of Nursing from Bart’s Health, who presented the report and sought Members’ views on optimising the service.  Members felt there might be some confusion as to the definition of a ‘minor injury’ and suggested more publicity to raise awareness, along with improved signage and directions.   The Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee was in attendance and expressed concern at recent, short notice closures of the Unit.  The Head of Nursing advised that this practice had ceased and the service was being reviewed in order to increase its capacity for referrals. 

The Director offered to meet with the team at Barts to work on a Communications Strategy and would invite colleagues in the PR Office.  The outcome would be reported to the next meeting.   Members welcomed this suggestion, as a strong communications strategy would successfully divert minor injuries away from overstretched A&E departments.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

This report set out the approach the Corporation had taken in scrutinising the Homerton University Hospital Quality Accounts, in partnership with the London Borough of Hackney.  It requested Member representation at the Health in Hackney Scrutiny Meeting, to meet with representatives of the Hospital.   Under Agenda item 6, Wendy Mead had been elected and would attend the next meeting on 10 October 2013.

RESOLVED – That:

1.      The approach taken to scrutinising the Homerton University Hospital Quality Accounts be endorsed;

2.      Homerton University Hospital would provide a written response by the end of August 2013; and

3.      The Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny (INEL JOSC) representative attend the October Health in Hackney Scrutiny meeting to discuss the Hospitals response on behalf of the City.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

This report set out the approach the Corporation had taken in scrutinising the Bart’s Health Trust Quality Accounts, as part of the Inner North East London Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Health (INEL JOSC).

The Chairman had attended the last meeting and noted that the Trust’s financial position had worsened.   Members also noted that Barts had not bid for urological cancer services and University College had won the tender.  However, Barts had bid for gastro oncology, thoracic, lung and blood cancer services and submitted a non-competitive bid for head and neck services.  A Member was concerned about changes to urological cancer services but was reassured that patients would return to Barts for their on-going treatment following their surgery.

Further concern was expressed about the Royal London’s appointments system, as the telephone response times had been poor since the service was transferred to a call centre in Milton Keynes.  It was also noted that referral letters did not state the nature of a patient’s condition.  The Head of Nursing at Bart’s advised that, since 1 May, calls were being managed by a new centralised team.  Members were reassured that 69% of outstanding queries had been cleared and, whilst the more complex cases had been taking a little longer, they would also be cleared in one month’s time.  Members were reminded that the Sub Committee had scrutinised appointment systems about 18 months ago but, at that time, the trusts had not merged. 

It had also been noted that the ‘choose and book’ system might be flawed.  Members were advised that Deputy Billy Dove had arranged to meet Sir Stephen O’Brien to discuss these issues. 

RESOLVED – That:

1.      The approach taken to scrutinising the Bart’s Health Trust Quality Accounts be endorsed; and

2.      The written submission to the Barts’ Health

There were no questions.

The Director advised that a Work Programme would be drafted for the next meeting. Members were asked to send suggestions to the Chairman, copied to the Director.