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.

Members were asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests which they might have in respect of the business on the agenda.

Councillor S Barnes declared his standing personal interest in agenda item 5) Bootham Park Hospital Closure, as he worked for Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group, who commissioned mental health services in Leeds. Councillor Cannon asked that her standing interest as a patient of York Hospital be removed from the list as she was no longer a patient.

No other interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 10 and 16 September 2015.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meetings held on the 10 September and 16 September 2015 be signed and approved by the Chair as correct records.

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 Monday 19 October 2015 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: https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/6453/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_council_meetingspdf

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

The first speaker, Dr Bob Adams, a former senior consultant psychiatrist at Bootham Park Hospital, spoke in regards to the closure of Bootham Park Hospital. He felt that the quality of care offered from staff was not at fault but that Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust could not remove the ligature points. Furthermore, the layout of the hospital was old fashioned and the previous Primary Care Trust had suffered from too many re-organisations. He questioned where were the plans for the refurbishment of Bootham Park. He felt that Bootham Park Court a vacant site next to the hospital could be used as a new facility instead of Bootham Park.

Amanda Griffiths spoke about how the closure had displaced outpatient services and affected other service users. This had in turn meant that GP referrals to secondary mental health services were being declined and it was now difficult to access any level of mental health care in the York area. She felt that poor governance, lack of staff and poor transparency had destroyed Bootham Park Hospital and the focus should be on urgent repairs and reopening the beds at the current building rather than on the construction of a new hospital.

Joanne Lazenby felt that the important location of Bootham Park Hospital should not be underestimated. The Air Ambulance landed in the grounds as it was situated next to York Hospital. She felt that if a new hospital was built on the outskirts of the city many would not want to attend. Her sister was a patient at Bootham Park and stated that she felt that it was safe. She felt that a modern extension should be attached to the old buildings.

Chris Brace, who spoke on behalf of York Older People’s Assembly, felt that cumulative policies of successive governments and the Health and Social Care Act had contributed to the problems encountered at Bootham. He accepted that there would not be an immediate solution but asked that the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the new provider (Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust) and the local MPs work together. He also asked the Committee to consult widely both publicly and professionally.

This report and its annexes present the Health & Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee with the Care Quality Commission Quality Report (Annex 1) following a planned inspection of York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and the Trust’s response (Annex 2).

In view of the lengthy discussion on the Bootham Park Hospital Closure item, which had been considered before this item, it was;

Resolved: The item be deferred until the meeting.

Reason:  To enable for full and proper consideration to take place by the Committee.

This report and its annexes provide the Health & Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee with information around the closure of Bootham Park Hospital and the future of mental health services in York.

Members received a report alongside annexes which provided them with information around the closure of Bootham Park Hospital and the future of mental health services in York.

In his introduction the Chair informed all those present that the Committee had been repeatedly reassured that plans were in place and that risks were being managed. He informed them that papers had not been received from all organisations involved, however since the publication of the agenda, Members had received a timeline of events from the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). (This was republished with the agenda following the meeting).

Representatives from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT), Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Property Services Ltd gave their own short presentations to the Committee.

Care Quality Commission

It was noted that in September 2014 Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust had been the first Trust to be inspected using the new CQC inspection methodology. A programme of action had been agreed with the Trust following an earlier inspection of Bootham Park Hospital but not all areas of concern had been addressed. The CQC spoke to the Trust and partners at a Quality Summit about how these issues could be addressed. The CQC were assured that the Trust would work against an action plan but there was expected to be slippage in some areas, and the CQC received a letter in August 2015 from Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust about the continued slippage and that they would provide more information to the CQC Inspectors.

The reasons given for the unannounced inspection in September 2015 were;

·        The quality of the environment in Ward 2- there was a stench of dead rats.

·        Staffing issues.

·        Water temperatures were not being regulated, on Ward 6 this varied from 52-56C

·        Necessary maintenance had not taken place.

·        Safety of the patients.

·        Concerns over Legionella in Wards 1 and 2.

·        Patients in Ward 6 had not moved to Cherry Tree House at the time of the inspection.

The Chair asked if the CQC felt it was the Trust’s responsibility to deal with call alarms, ligature points and fittings. They confirmed this. They added that they saw that some but not all of the ligature points had been put right.

CQC stressed that they did not close Bootham Park Hospital but Leeds and York Partnership asked for its registration be removed as it was transferring services as a location. 

One Member asked what would need to be done to get inpatient services back at Bootham Park Hospital. The CQC responded that they would need to know what would be in place to provide a safe service. They would need to know what the new provider would do to make the building compliant. At the time of registration they did not have that plan. They would expect that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s work plan for the municipal year and a scrutiny topic assessment form.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work plan for the municipal year and a potential scrutiny review topic on Bootham Park Hospital.

Discussion took place around the number of items for the November meeting and it was suggested that a second meeting be scheduled to deal with the business to try and avoid lengthy meetings. The Committee agreed for a second meeting to take place in December.

Resolved: (i) That the work plan be noted.

                 (ii) That an additional meeting be organised.

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