Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda. A list of general personal interests previously declared are attached.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. Other than the standing interests no further interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 3 November 2010.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 3 November 2010 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Tuesday 30 November 2010.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

A representative of the York Older People’s Assembly (YOPA) thanked the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Services for his comments in relation to the value of the YOPA, as detailed in his report, which were much appreciated. He went onto ask if the Committee could advise the public what to do when the PCT suspended funding for the General Practitioners (GP’s) Extended Services. He pointed out that the performance of these services by GP’s in the community had originally been intended to produce cost savings. He questioned if these procedures were no longer free and accessible within the NHS were residents now expected to pay for these privately. 

He went onto confirm that the YOPA regretted that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) would no longer be undertaking a detailed examination of the City of York Council Health and Social care provisions. He questioned when and where the CQC’s last report for 2009/10 would be publicly available.

To consider the report of the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Services in relation to the budget and priorities in relation to his portfolio area.  Detailed responses to questions put to the Executive Member by members of the Committee are also attached for information. The Executive Member will be in attendance to answer questions in relation to his report.

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Services in relation to the budget and priorities in relation to his portfolio area together with answers to questions put to the Executive Member by Cllr Simpson-Laing.

The Executive Member presented his report to Members and answered a number of questions.

Members went onto question a number of issues in relation to the options presented to the Executive for the future of the reablement service in York including:

• The Executive Member’s input to the Executive in relation to the decision to tender the service.
• As the service dealt with some of the most vulnerable residents it was important that they received continuity in service.
• Had Lack of any consultation been undertaken with the York Hospital Foundation Trust regarding the impact on hospital discharges.
• Concern at the hourly charging rates presented in the report to the Executive.

In respect of other aspects of the Executive Member’s report Members made the following comments:

• In response to concerns previously raised during consultation on the White Paper ‘Liberating the NHS’ at the proposed membership of the Health and Well Being Board, Officers confirmed that individual Local Authorities could now decide the make up of the Boards and that the Health Scrutiny function would be separated from Health and Well Being Boards
• Questioned the Executive’s financial support to YOPA.

Following further discussion the Chair thanked the Executive Member for his report and attendance at the meeting.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Members report and comments be received and noted.

REASON:                  To update Members on the budget and priorities in the Health and Adult Social Services area.

[As amended at the Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee meeting on 24 January 2011]

The Chief Executive from York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will give a verbal update on progress including information on emerging priorities and strategic challenges. This will include reference to the future of Scarborough services and the part the Foundation Trust may play in this.

The Chief Executive of the York Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust gave the Committee a verbal six monthly update on progress including information on emerging priorities and strategic challenges for the Trust.

The update included details of the following:

·        Safety and Quality which included details of the improvements made in the quality of healthcare and associated infections.

·        Progress with the efficiencies being made year on year with the target for 2010/11 being £12m and £34m over a 3 year period

·        Engagement and Partnerships including clinical alliances and progress with the Transforming of Community Services

·        Details of the transfer of services from Scarborough to the Foundation Trust which were at the stage of due diligence due to end on 5 January 2011. Confirmation that the Trust would formally take on the service from 1 April 2011 following staff consultation etc. More information on this issue would be available later in the new year

·        Anticipated that the upgraded York Hospital car park would be ready in April 2011.

Members questioned various aspects of the report including:

• The possible links between the Trust and Scarborough and confirmation that there would be no threat to existing services in York.
• Update on vascular services. Confirmation that these were out for formal consultation and that these services would continue to be provided in Harrogate, Scarborough, Hull and York.

Following further discussion the Chair thanked the Chief Executive for his informative, detailed report to the Committee.

RESOLVED:             That the update be received and noted.

REASON:                  To continue to update Members on the future priorities and the work of the York Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust.

To receive a presentation by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on their role as a provider of community services to the York and Selby Community. A copy of the presentation is attached.

Members received a presentation from the Chief Executive of the York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on the Trust’s role as a provider of community services to the York and Selby Community.

It was reported that the main changes related firstly to the disappearance of the Primary Care Trusts with their function being taken over by 4 existing secondary care organisations. Secondly that the York Hospital Foundation Trust would be taking over the local services and community hospitals in York and Selby. The full details of the presentation are set out in the report to the Committee.

RESOLVED:             That the presentation on the transformation of Community Services be received and noted.

REASON:                  To keep Member’s updated on the work being undertaken to improve facilities and organisation in the area.       

This report sets out the latest performance for 2010/11 and forecasts the outturn position by reference to the service plan, the budget and performance indicators for all the relevant services falling under the responsibility of the Director of Adults, Children and Education.

The Committee considered a report which analysed the latest performance for 2010/11 and forecast the outturn position by reference to the service plan, the budget and the performance indicator for all the relevant services falling under the responsibility of the Director of Adults, Children and Education (ACE).

It was reported that the Adult Social Services budget was reporting financial pressures of £1,021k although this was an improvement of £328k on the position reported in quarter 1. Officers explained that the main contributory factors continued to be an increase in take up of Direct Payments, a higher number of referrals for Independent Residential and Nursing Care together with the use of agency staff to cover staff sickness.

Members questioned a number of points which included:

• It was understood that the authority were setting up their own pool of bank staff to cover staff sickness. Confirmation that significant work was taking place in this area including the formation of a staff bank which it was hoped would decrease the spend and show improvements in the next monitor.
• Concern at the decrease in the 2010/11 Quarter 2 figures for  NPI 145 (Adults with Learning Disabilities in settled accommodation). Confirmation that more reviews were due to take place so this figure would rise as these were undertaken.
• What was the split in the take up of personalised care between the elderly and learning disabilities. It would be useful if the proportionate split was included in future update reports. Confirmation that there was more take up by learning disabilities but it was considered that there would be a significant shift towards older people though their annual reviews. ^1.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:                         That the second quarter monitoring report be received and noted.

REASON:                              To update the Committee on the latest finance and performance position for 2010/11.

This report asks Members to approve the remit, scope and timetable for the Carer’s Review.

Consideration was given to a report which asked Members to approve the remit, scope and timetable for the Carer’s Review.

The Scrutiny Officer stated that, following the postponement of the Health Scrutiny Committee’s meeting on 1 December owing to the inclement weather, the first Carers Review meeting had now taken place, prior to approval of the remit, scope and timetable.

The Chair thanked Officers for their input and engagement with the review and forthcoming public event at the Monk Bar Hotel on Friday 7 January 2010.

RESOLVED:             That approval be given to the remit, scope and timetable of the Carers Review as set out in paragraph 3 and at Annex A of the report.

REASON:                  In order to progress this review topic.

Members are asked to review the Committee’s work plan for 2010/11.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work plan for 2010/11, an updated copy of which was circulated to members at the meeting (attached as an annex to these minutes).

The Scrutiny Officer reported on the amendments proposed to the work plan and questioned whether the Committee wished to add consideration of the various Trusts’ Quality Accounts into the plan for February 2011. Members referred to their extensive workload, the issues involved and to possible future changes in Committee membership and decided against responding to Quality Accounts this time around.

However documentation had been received from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service asking the Committee to comment on what they thought the priority indicators should be for future Quality Accounts. Members agreed to take part in this short exercise and an item was added to the work plan for their 24 January 2011 meeting.

RESOLVED:    i) That the updated work plan be approved and noted and the potential February meeting in relation to Quality Accounts be removed.

ii)That the Scrutiny Officer add the Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s consultation on Priority Indicators for Quality Accounts to the work plan for 24 January and that members be requested to email the Scrutiny Officer with any comments they wish to make on these issues so these can be included within the report to be presented to Committee. ^1.

REASON:                  In order to progress the work of the Committee.