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.

No interests were declared further to the standing personal, non prejudicial interests declared at previous meetings and circulated with the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 31 March 2008.

With reference to Resolution (iv) under Minute 39 (Work Planning for Health Scrutiny 2008), Officers confirmed that it was intended to bring the report by Graham Purdey on the prevention of falls to the Committee in September.  The Chair suggested that this be considered initially at an informal meeting.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2008 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 Monday 2 June 2008 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 is for information only, and is to update Members on progress in establishing a Local Involvement Network (LINk) in York.

Members received a report which provided an update on progress towards the establishment of a Local Involvement Network (LINk) in York.

Members were reminded of the background to LINks, the independent, formally constituted bodies that had replaced the Patient and Public Involvement forums previously attached to all NHS trusts.  Government legislation required local authorities to commission a Host organisation to enable, support and facilitate their local LINk.  Following a tendering exercise, North Bank Forum (NBF) for Voluntary Organisations had been awarded a three-year contract as York’s Host, commencing on 1 April 2008.  NBF had now produced an action plan, attached as Annex A to the report.  The priority in year one was to establish the LINk body and to start to identify a work programme for years two and three.  The first meeting of the LINk Steering Group had taken place the previous week.  Premises for the LINk had been established and it was expected to have a newsletter and a web presence in place by the end of June. 

Members were asked whether they wished to hold a facilitated workshop with the NBF, to explore in more detail the operation of the LINk and how it fitted with the work of the Scrutiny Committee.  Funding for the use of the Centre For Public Scrutiny (CFPS) facilitator had now expired but funds received by the Council to enable, support and facilitate the LINk could be accessed for this purpose.  Members agreed that it was necessary to clarify these operational matters, to enable the Committee to communicate with the LINk and ensure that work was not duplicated.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the report be noted.

(ii)               That an introductory session with NBF be included on the agenda for the forthcoming proposed half-day training session for the Committee.

(iii)             That investigations be made into organising an NBF facilitated workshop for Members.¹

(iv)              That a report be brought back to a future meeting outlining the detailed working relationship between LINks, NBF and this Committee.²

REASON:      In order to keep the Committee informed of the development and work of LINks.

In light of changes to the Committee at Annual Council, this report re-presents the draft work plan previously considered at the Committees March 2008 Meeting. Members are asked to confirm their work programme for the remainder of 2008.

Note:  Annex B to the above report (the remit for the dementia topic, as approved by Members at the meeting) was published with this agenda after the meeting.

Members considered a report which asked them to confirm the Committee’s work programme for the remainder of 2008, with reference to the work plan previously considered at the meeting on 31 March 2008.

The previous work plan was attached as Annex A to the report.  Members were also invited to consider whether they wished to proceed with a review of one of the two potential topics considered at previous meetings; namely, mental health provision (specifically dementia care) or musculo-skeletal pathways.  A suggested remit for a review of dementia care was circulated at the meeting.  This, amended to incorporate the alteration requested by Members as indicated in Resolution (i) below), has been attached to the on-line agenda for this meeting, as Annex B to the report.  With regard to musculo-skeletal pathways, Members were reminded of the work already being carried out by the PCT and Dr Lethem on the falls programme, as reported to the last meeting of the Committee.

Members went on to discuss both the formal work plan and topics agreed for discussion at an informal half day session, to be held before the next formal meeting of the Committee on 7 July.  The Chair suggested that, as the 60^th Anniversary of the NHS fell on 5 July, the formal meeting should include a small celebration to mark this event.

RESOLVED: (i)         That  the proposed dementia care topic be agreed  for review by this Committee and that the draft remit circulated at the meeting be approved with the following amendment:

-        removal of the word ‘always’ from the first key objective.¹

                        (ii)        That the work plan at Annex A be amended to include this review and receipt of a report from the PCT on falls prevention in September.²

                        (iii)       That the informal training session be held on 27 June 2008, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, subject to confirmation by the Scrutiny Officer after consultation with absent Members and with other parties who will be invited to attend.³

(iv)              That the following topics be included on the agenda for the informal session:⁴

·        An introduction to Health Scrutiny Committee (presentation slides to be circulated in advance)

·        Presentations to the Committee on structure and governance within NHS areas

·        An introductory session from NBF on LINks

·        An update on Practice Based Commissioning (PBC)

·        Presentations on work being carried out by the PCT and Dr Lethem on the prevention of falls.

REASON:      To enable Members to carry out their duty to promote the health needs of the people they represent.