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.

The Chair invited Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. The following standing declarations were declared:

Councillor Kirk declared a standing declaration as a governor of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Councillor Fraser declared a standing declaration as a governor of the York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Councillor Moore declared a standing declaration as his wife worked in the Health Service.

Councillor Wiseman declared a standing declaration as she was to be appointed as a governor of the York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 30 July 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee held on 30^th July 2007 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. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Friday 21 September at 5.00pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report asks members to confirm their work planning programme for the municipal year 2007/08.

Members considered a report that asked them to confirm their work-planning programme for the 2007/08 municipal year.

Members felt that there was not enough time during the year to tackle all the proposals listed in Annex E to the report and agreed that they would need to be selective. They therefore felt that concentration should fall on the following areas:

·        Contributing to ‘Annual Health Check’ – assessment process for NHS Trusts. January – April 2008

·        Working with City of York Council Officers responsible for setting up the host organisation for the new Local

Involvement Network (LINk) and once the LINk was in place to work with its Members. City of York Council would not necessarily take the lead in this as they would be working in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council.

·        Alternative Care Pathways to hospital in-patient treatment

·        The work of North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust’s (NYYPCT) Exception Panel

Some Members felt that there was still work to be undertaken regarding the provision of NHS dental services in York. It was also felt that more information was needed regarding the current financial status at the Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Members noted that there was a Local Involvement Network (LINk) Stakeholder Event on Friday 19^th October in Harrogate. It was understood that the Chair and the Scrutiny Officer would be attending. Members appreciated that the host organisation needed to be established by April next year and therefore the timescales were relatively tight.

Members discussed the work of the Healthy City Board and its work to reduce health inequalities within the city. They felt that an update from the Chair of the board would be useful.

RESOLVED:            

1.      That the process of the alternatives to hospital care be studied and scrutinised and recommendations for improvements be made with particular reference to management of chronic conditions.

2.      That the Primary Care Trust’s Dental Officer report back to the Committee regarding dental services in York

3.      That Rachel Johns from the PCT update the Committee regarding the ‘Healthy City Board’

REASON:                  In order to promote the health needs of the people they represent.