Issue - meetings
Health Scrutiny Panel: Scrutiny Review of Accident and Emergency (A&E) Services in Tower Hamlets
Meeting: 23/07/2014 - Cabinet - Expired (Item 8)
8 Health Scrutiny Review of A&E services 
PDF 85 KB
Additional documents:
Decision:
DECISION
1. To note the report.
Action by:
SERVICE HEAD, CORPORATE STRATEGY AND EQUALITY (L. RUSSELL)
(Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer (T. Alam)
Minutes:
Councillor Joshua Peck, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report. He reported that the review found that Accident and Emergency Services in the Borough were pretty good but that the report did propose some practical recommendations on a public health level.
The Mayor thanked Health Scrutiny Panel Members for their report and the recommendations contained although he did express some concerns about recommendation 5 (in relation to research into inappropriate use of A&E by residents).
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
Meeting: 28/01/2014 - Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee (Item 3)
Health Scrutiny Review of A&E services
To undertake a verbal discussion on the subject of the Health Scrutiny review of A & E services.
Minutes:
The Panel was informed that its draft report titled ‘Scrutiny Review of A & E Services had been circulated to all Panel members for comment. The following key issues were identified from the review findings:
· Recruitment of local people was generally at less skilled levels
· Issues concerned with the management of Winter Pressures
· A and E services were viewed by residents as a convenient form of service access
The Panel discussed the findings of the review and the following observations were noted:
- A & E services were popular because they were quick convenient and provided good tests to users of the service. In contrast GP services were less convenient for patients to access
- There was no patients groups’ representation on the CCG Urgent Care Group
- The Health and Well-Being Board would hear from NHS England on the matter of hours for primary care provision
The Chair requested that the report should also address the following:
- To whom will review recommendations be made
- How much has changed since McKenzie in 2008:
- What is the agency that can influence GPs in the absence of the PCT:
- Are there any changes in the large numbers of young people choosing to attend A and E:
- Include a suggestion that a GP practice be cited within A and E
- Include a note on the general issues of accessibility to GP surgeries/services
It was agreed that the Panel's comments would be incorporated into the review following which the final draft would be circulated to Members for comment. The review report would then be presented to the Panel at its next meeting prior to submission to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in April 2014. Additionally it was agreed that any recommendations outside of the scope of the Council would be referred to Tower Hamlets Health and Well-being Board.
The Chair also requested that an item for funding for extra GP hours be added to the next HSP agenda
RESOLVED
That the discussion be noted
Action by:
TahirAlam / Sarah Barr (Strategy, Policy and Performance)