Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: Committee Room M72 7th Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: Zoe Folley, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4651, E-mail: zoe.folley@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Helal Uddin and for lateness by Councillor Denise Jones.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PDF 49 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from the Chief Executive.
Minutes: No declarations of personal or prejudicial interest were made.
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UNRESTRICTED MINUTES PDF 76 KB To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the ordinary meeting of Health Scrutiny Panel held on 18th October 2011.
Minutes: The Chair MOVED and
It was agreed that the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 18th October 2011 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
Item 4.3 Proposed Merger of Barts and the London, Newham and Whipps Cross.
The Chair reported on a recent meeting with the Barts and the London and Scrutiny Officers following the issues around surgeon resignations reported in the national press. Reassurances were secured that the issues were being addressed and that the Trust Board secretary would provide this Panel with briefings on current issues. The Chair stressed the importance of strengthening communications with the hospital and that a proactive approach should be taken to this.
Concern was expressed at the impact of the resignations on orthopaedic services. It was feared that patients were now facing extended delays for urgent treatment. Members considered that this matter should be followed up.
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REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
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Overview of NHS Tower Hamlets Commissioning Strategic Plan PDF 41 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Jane Milligan (Borough Director, Tower Hamlets, NHS East London and the City) gave the Panel an overview of the NHS Tower Hamlets Commissioning Strategic Plan for 2012/13.
Firstly she provided an update on overall events. She referred to the emergence of the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and its greater responsibilities for health budgets. She explained its expected move to authorised status in readiness for the end of the Primary Care Trust. She outlined the development of the NHS Commissioning Board and its budget responsibilities.
She also explained the merger proposals combining East London and the City with outer north east London to create a new commissioning cluster and the work to create a Commissioning support organisation.
Other key headlines were the public health outcomes published this week, the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board in developing a strategy, last weeks visit from senior NHS figures to consider the robustness of the plans. The feedback from them was very postive.
Ms Milligan also reported on key achievements including the near achievement of last years commissioning plans, planned initiatives, the savings targets and possible ways of achieving this.
The key priorities for this year were highlighted.
In response to the questions, Ms Milligan and Mr John Wardell (Chief Operating Officer, Tower Hamlets CCG) reported the following issues:
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Tower Hamlets Health Scrutiny Panel - Review of Consultation Events PDF 37 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel considered a report which reviewed two consultation events that it had participated in as part of its work programme for 2011-12. The Panel were invited to discuss the role of the Panel in future events and how the findings could shape the future work programme.
The Chair considered that the events were very useful and were well attended. It was clear that the findings should be incorporated into the strategy.
LAP 5 and 6 Health Event 26th October 2011 Burdett Neighbourhood Centre.
Dianne Barham (ThinK) presented the key findings and the lessons learnt to maximise responses. A key question now was how to feedback to respondents to show progress with ideas. She discussed that a further report could go back to the Panel on this.
In response, the Panel welcomed the approach taken in undertaking a range of exercises to maximise responses.
Health and Scrutiny Panel Adult Social Care Review Event. 8th November 2011 Toynbee Hall
The Panel felt it beneficial to engage regularly with the service users.
Accordingly, it was suggested that the Panel could hold regular face to face events say on an annual basis to consult with service users.
In summary, it was Agreed that the responses to the consultation should be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a view to subsequent submission to the Cabinet.
The Chair also commented that ways of increasing consultation and involvement should be explored further.
Mr Stephen Cody (Interim Corporate Director Adults Health and Wellbeing) highlighted the action underway in his Directorate to consult extensively with the community in supporting the Council’s Local Account and strategies in general.
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Overview of Sexual Health Services in Tower Hamlets PDF 37 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Mr Chris Lovitt (Associate Director of Public Health NHS East London and the City) gave a comprehensive overview of sexual health services (SH) in the borough.
Mr Lovitt reported on the impact of the proposed Health and Social Care Bill on the commissioning arrangements for sexual health services, its key objectives to improve access, outcomes and integration. He explained the key improvements to date in sexual health services especially reducing Teenage Pregnancy have been through strong partnership working across the council, NHS and other partners. Subject to the pass of the Health and Social Care Bill the government was planning to move responsibility for commissioning sexual health services (excluding abortion services) from the NHS to the Loca; Authority as part of the move to Public Health to the council.
He also reported on current work being undertaken locally including the production of a new 5 year Tower Hamlets Sexual Health Strategy for the Borough, the potential introduction of sexual health tariff due to take affect in April 2012. He presented an overview of Sexual Health statistics for the Borough that showed that the borough had the highest rates of sexual ill health, significant amounts of unmet need and about 40% of local people are accessing services outside the borough.
In response to the questions, Mr Lovitt referred to national policy for Hepatitis B and C treatment to target those at risk. As with other diseases such as HIV, key to this was early and greater screening and treatment. There is already work on introducing routine “opt out” screening for HIV in both the hospital and primary care. The case for widening this to include Hepatitis B and C screening is currently being looked into.
Mr Lovitt also highlighted the key aims of the national sexual health strategy including increased education for groups at risk and promoting awareness amongst older age groups. Steps were also being taken to raise awareness of sexual health issues amongst the over 30s age groups, as it was noted that they were at risk also, as well as younger people. The Public Health is keen to ensure the sexual health services were easily accessible and services mainstreamed into Primary Care and to remove taboos around the service.
Currently there were three hubs providing specialist SH services along with services provided in Primary care. However, the current location of the GUM clinic at the Royal London is less than ideal and there are concerns around accessibility during the redevelopment as the clinic is staying in its current location whilst demolition work is taking place around. The current location is only secure until 2014 and plans have yet to be developed about where GUM services will be located in the future either within the new build or off site in a “high street” location. It was Agreed that the Chair should write a letter about this plan to Barts.
RESOLVED
That the information in the presentation be noted
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Budget Proposals for 2012/2013 for Adults Health and Wellbeing Directorate PDF 37 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Mr Stephen Cody (Interim Corporate Director Adults Health and Wellbeing) and Mr Paul Thorogood, (Head of Finance Adults Health and Wellbeing) presented the agreed efficiencies and further proposed savings for the Adults Health and Wellbeing Directorate (AHWB).
Mr Thorogood highlighted the efficiencies agreed by Council in March 2011 for AHWB and the targets for delivery. He also explained the proposed efficiencies for the Directorate agreed by Council in January 2012 and to be submitted to full Council.
In considered each initiative, Mr Cody also responded to the questions raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the budgets as set out below.
Use of Telecare
In relation to the questions about Telecare, Mr Cody explained how the proposals for the service should lessen the need for other forms of care. Work was being done to coordinate Tele care services to ensure clients received one integrated service. Officers were also looking at working with voluntary services such as befriending services given the worries over clients becoming more isolated following the changes. It was planned to phase in the changes.
Housing Link Phase 2.
Regarding the question about Look Ahead service, Mr Cody reassured the Panel that organisation already possessed the capacity required to take on the new commitments and already undertook work with the key agents and clients of the service. Mr Cody also explained the implications for the employees affected by the changes. Members were reassured that there were no plans to change the criteria for the floating support service and or the nature of the service.
Improving the quality of the hostel sector and managing reduction of the number of beds.
Regarding the potential reduction of 150 hostel beds, it was evident from the recent review that the beds were under occupied with many people wishing to move on. It was considered that the new hostel service would be more than adequate to cope with demand.
In response, the Panel referred to the new Housing Benefits thresholds and the impact on homelessness. It was important to take this on board when looking at housing and homeless services especially on families in the Borough.
London Living Wage.
Confidence was expressed that the ‘squeeze’ would not lead to poorer services in this area. The aim was to commission an improved service. The type of services to be provided would be more flexible recognising the personal needs of the customer.
RESOLVED
That the information in the presentation be noted
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT Minutes: Nil items.
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