Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests they might have had in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Doughty requested that his standing declaration of interest be amended as his partner no longer worked at The Retreat.

No other interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2014.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 10 September 2014 be signed and approved 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 Tuesday 14 October 2014 at 5:00 pm.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  This broadcast can be viewed at: http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at: http://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

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

David Smith made a number of comments relating to the recent Cabinet decision to relocate services currently based at Castlegate to West Offices and more generally to the reduction in provision of mental health support for 18-25 year olds in the city. He was keen to see full scrutiny of this decision.

The Chair thanked the speaker and clarified that the decision referred to had already been called in for consideration by Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee on 31 October 2014.

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) provides specialist mental health and learning disability services for children and adults who live within York, Selby, Tadcaster and Easingwold; as well as providing certain specialist services across the whole of North Yorkshire and beyond.  This report sets out key areas of service development in the last 12 months and areas for focus on further improvement over coming months.

Members received an Annual Report from the Chief Executive of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, setting out key areas of service development in the last year and areas for focus on further improvements in the coming months.

Members asked the Chief Executive a range of questions relating to the vulnerability of Bootham Park Hospital as a premises, waiting times for mental health services and the impact of relocating services from Lime Trees, to which the Chief Executive responded in some detail. Specifically in relation to the effect of waiting times on mental health services in York, the Chief Executive agreed to report back on the current position.

Resolved:  That the Chief Executive be thanked for his report and the annual report be noted, subject to the further information referred to above on mental health services in York and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) patient waiting times, being made available to Members of the Committee.

Reason:     To ensure the Committee is aware of developments in the Trust.

This report on the proposed merger of the York Medical Group and 32 Clifton Practices has been prepared to provide Members with both the background for the merger and a briefing to outline the consultation process undertaken by the Practices to support the merger.

Members received a report which provided background and an outline of the consultation process regarding a proposal to merge two GP practices, York Medical Group and the Surgery at 32 Clifton.

The Assistant Head of Primary Care for North Yorkshire and the Humber and the Practice Manager for York Medical Group presented their report and answered Members questions.

Members raised concerns about how far disabled patients were being involved in the patient consultation, particularly in the light of a recent Healthwatch report which had identified a lack of engagement with disabled people from GP practices.

The Chair suggested to the Assistant Head of Primary Care for North Yorkshire and the Humber and the Practice Manager for York Medical Group that work be carried out with Healthwatch in regards to patient consultation.

Resolved:  That NHS England be thanked for their report and arrangements for the merger be noted with a request for improved consultation with Healthwatch and an annual update report on all mergers.

Reason:     To update Members on the merger of the two GP practices.

This briefing note provides Members with the new financial implications of the Deprivation of Liberties Safeguards (DoLS).

Members received a briefing note from the Acting Director of Adult Social Services providing information on DoLS and specifically highlighting the financial impact on City of York Council, as a result of new legislative requirements.

A full discussion took place on the financial implications and the Acting Director confirmed that Cabinet had agreed additional funds to deal with the increased pressure arising from the anticipated number of assessments received during 2014/15. He explained cost and process differentials between those undertaken in house and where external support was required. It was hoped that the vast majority of work could be done in house as the level of assessments began to plateau.

Resolved:  That the report be received and the current position noted.

Reason:     In order to keep Members informed of the resource impact arising from legislative interpretations around the assessment of DoLS.

This report briefs members on the decision to remove the meals service, the numbers of people affected, alternative provision and ongoing engagement.

Members received a report from the Acting Director of Adults and Social Services which briefed them on the budgetary decision to remove the meals service, the numbers of people affected, alternative provision and ongoing engagement.

Some Members expressed deep concerns at the process used to decide the removal of the hot meals service, including the decision apparently having been an Officer one. Whilst the Acting Director had not been with the Authority at the time of this decision having been taken, he explained the background to the budget saving being agreed and Officers implementing the basis for that saving.

The Chair felt that whilst the initial consultation surrounding the decision to remove the meals service had clearly led to confusion, the Council needed to learn from this and make sure consultation practices around similar decisions in the future improved.

One Member expressed significant concern with the decision making process and the lack of apparent transparency, calling for an immediate reconsideration by Cabinet. The Chair indicated that the Member’s concerns would be noted.

Resolved:  That the report be received and the position be noted.

Reason:    To keep Members informed about the removal of the subsidised Meals Service from Sheltered Housing with Extra Care Schemes.

This item updates Members on the progress made on the Supporting Older People Scrutiny Review.

Members received a verbal update report on the Supporting Older People Scrutiny Review. It was noted that the topic, which had previously been proposed for a cross cutting Corporate Review to be carried out by all the scrutiny committees may now be unlikely to take place in that form, subject to the views of Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee (CSMC). At this stage only one other Scrutiny Committee had agreed to start a review on a topic based around Supporting Older People. Members of the Committee were asked whether they wished to continue with a standalone review on a topic related to Supporting Older People, if CSMC decided not to proceed with the corporate one originally planned.

The Committee agreed to progress with a standalone topic. It was suggested that Members arrange membership and meeting dates between themselves and the Scrutiny Officer.

Resolved:  That the review commissioned by this Committee be proceeded with and dates for a Task Group meeting be finalised with Officers. ¹

Reason:     In order to keep Members informed of the progress of the scrutiny review.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s work plan for the 2014-15 municipal year.

Members considered the Committee’s work plan for 2014-15. The Chair suggested that if the Supporting Older People’s Task Group met before the next Health OSC meeting in November that an item be added on to the workplan.

Under this item, a Member raised the need to discuss, at this meeting, under urgent business, the recent decision made by Cabinet to relocate the services provided at Castlegate to West Offices. For statutory reasons, Officers advised that only the Chair could accept on to a published agenda for a meeting urgent business. The Chair had indicated at the start of the meeting, that she was not minded to accept it on the basis that it had already been called in to the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee and ought more appropriately to be considered in that forum. After that meeting and depending on the outcome, consideration could be given as to whether this matter ought to be raised at a future meeting of this Committee and added to its work plan. 

Resolved: That the work plan be noted with the following;

·        An item informing the Committee on the work of the Supporting Older People’s Scrutiny Review Task Group.

·        A future update on the position relating to Castlegate being received, if necessary, following the outcome of the CSMC Calling In meeting on 31 October 2014.

Reason:   To ensure that the Committee has a planned programme of work in place.