Agenda item

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered their wish to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is Tuesday 17 January 2017 at 5.00 pm

To register please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of this agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting will 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/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme in relation to issues within the remit of the Board.

Sheena Foxwell from Defend our NHS York spoke about how black, red and OPEL alerts were now being triggered in Accident and Emergency (A & E) departments and hospitals. This situation meant that hospitals were unable to deliver care and patient safety could be compromised due to overwhelming demand.  She also commented that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) had identified that York Hospital had breached its 4 hour waiting time in A&E for the past two years. In addition, inpatient beds across the country were being cut without facilities in the community to replace them. She highlighted the loss of 22 inpatient beds from the closure of Archways and cuts to the adult social care budget and delayed discharges which she felt had compounded bed losses. She questioned what proposals had been put forward to resolve the situation.

Anne Leonard also from Defend our NHS York spoke about obesity and the rationing of medical care for those who were obese or overweight.  She informed the Board that obesity was largely a social issue. She felt that obesity would not be lessened by the rationing of services and neither would blaming obese people themselves. In her opinion, this masked the real problem which was that services were not capable of being stretched any further. She urged the Board to investigate the issue further.

In response to the speakers a number of Board Members commented;

The Deputy Chief Executive of York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust informed the Board that there had been unforeseeable increases in admissions to the hospital over the Christmas period. For example there had been an 11% rise in ambulance arrivals and a 22% rise in attendance at A&E. There was spare care capacity in the community which had been made available from the removal of inpatient beds.

The Director of Public Health informed the Board that the causes of obesity were complex and it was a societal issue. She intended to develop a Healthy Weight and Active Lives Strategy along with partners this year.

Two Members of Council spoke, one was concerned with the cuts to NHS budgets and services and how comments raised about how there was not sufficient money within the wider system for transformation in the NHS seemed to not be taken on board. The other referred to a recent motion approved by Council which objected to NHS Vale of York CCG’s decision to ration access to services to those who smoked or were obese.

The Accountable Officer from NHS Vale of York CCG noted that demand for services were often outstripping financial resources and therefore in order to meet the challenge a better joined up system was needed.

The Chair also noted that, in reference to an item later on the agenda, Community Pharmacies might help to keep patients out of A&E. In regards to the obesity issues raised by the speaker, she suggested that the Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny Committee might wish to investigate this further. She thanked the speakers for their comments.