Agenda and minutes

Resolved that:

The minutes of the decisions of the meeting held on the 19^th September be agreed as a correct record.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Rawlings and Cllr Johnson

None.

Caroline Chant, Joint Commissioner – Older People and Physical Sensory Impairment, and Cllr Graham Old, Ageing Well Member Champion, presented a progress update briefing to the Committee on phase two of the Barnet Ageing Well Programme.

The Committee was informed that phase two of the programme, along with the Neighbourhood Model adopted by the Executive, would be aiming to encourage the development of social capital within the borough by utilising volunteers and peer support. It was envisaged that in doing so the programme would also champion a sense of local leadership.

Mr Peter Cragg, Co-Chair of the Barnet Older Adults Partnership Board, joined Caroline Chant at the table to update the Committee on Ageing Well Initiatives in East Finchley including the East Finchley Village Project. Mr Cragg reiterated that the aim of the projects and initiatives was to develop local leadership and ownership to help promote independent active lives among older residents.

Finally, Cllr Old emphasised to the Committee that the projects were not narrowly defined around specific health care issues; rather they were aimed at supporting a holistic sense of well-being among the borough’s older residents.

Resolved that:

The Committee notes the update

Terrina Riches, Interim Director of Operations for Emergency Care, Paul Hawkins, Director of Operations for Planned Care, Adam Roden, Director of Women’s’ Services and Siobhan Harrington, BEH Clinical Strategy Programme Director, provided the Committee with previously requested updates relating to Accident and Emergency Services, Maternity Services and Shuttle Bus Timetabling at both Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals.

Terrina Riches provided the Committee with an overview of A&E attendance at both hospital sites and advised the Committee that there were some errors in the data relating to the details of attendances by PCT as set out in the report to the Committee and that corrected versions would be supplied. The Committee were advised that the 25 per cent admittance rate for patients visiting A&E was consistent with other London hospitals. Terrina Riches informed the Committee that the trust was undertaking work in relation to community care and urgent care networks to provide alternative means of accessing health care.

In relation to the Trust’s journey to Foundation Status Terrina Riches advised the Committee that the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust had submitted an application to NHS London seeking the acquisition of Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust and that the Strategic Outline Case had been accepted with the Outline Business Case currently being developed by the Royal Free.

Siobhan Harrington provided the Committee with an update on the development and implementation of the BEH Clinical Strategy advising the Committee that building development work was now underway at both the Barnet Hospital and North Middlesex sites. The committee were advised that work was underway with Barnet and Enfield CCGs developing primary care.

Following the overview from Terrina Riches, the Chairman Cllr Cornelius invited Dr Katherine Rounce, a Barnet resident, to address the committee to discuss her experience as an A&E service user at Barnet Hospital. Dr Rounce outlined difficulties she and her husband had experienced in attempting to access services as a self-presenting patient.

Dr Rounce reported problems relating to access to wheelchairs, difficulties parking, and the promptness and nature of responses provided to queries by nursing staff including written responses to complaints.

Terrina Riches took note of the difficulties experienced by Dr Rounce and informed the Committee that the issues raised would be fed back to managers and directors at the hospital.

Following this discussion Cllr Cornelius raised a query with the Trust representatives in relation to the status of the day surgery and Aspen wards at Barnet Hospital. Cllr Cornelius said she understood that the day surgery ward was being used as an in-patient ward while she also understood that Aspen ward was currently closed placing a pressure on available beds. In response the Trust representatives said that although this had happened historically, the day surgery ward was no longer being used as an overflow for in-patients. In relation to Aspen ward, the Trust stated that this was not causing a pressure on in-patient beds, and although 12 beds were closed at the moment, cover  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Gillian Jordon, Chairman of Barnet LINK, presented a set of reports to the Committee. These reports included:

·   the Barnet LINK Research Report on Patient Access to Appointments and Use of Telephone Systems in GP Practices

·   Barnet LINK Enter & View Report – Elysian House

Ms Jordan was accompanied by Dr Sue Sumners, Chair of Barnet CCG, and Mr John Morton, Designate Chief Officer of Barnet CCG, to respond to issues raised in the GP access report and Mr Laurie Armantrading, Area Manager Barnet, Enfield, Haringey & Harrow Recovery House Services, to respond to questions in relation to the Elysian House Enter & View report.

GP Access Report

Ms Jordan presented the LINKs GP Access report to the Committee commenting that the report was intended to provide an initial insight into the experiences of residents seeking to access GP services. Ms Jordan advised the Committee of the reports methodological limitations in terms of representative sampling and statistical validity and suggested that the report should be viewed as providing a qualitative overview of some of the issues experienced by residents when attempting to book appointments.

Ms Jordan commented on the difficulties the LINK had experienced in getting residents to participate in their survey but were actively encouraging people to join patient participation groups.

Dr Sumners advised the Committee that as part of the Primary Care Strategy the CCG and GPs were exploring alternative means of engaging with service users including the use of text message reminder services and the promotion of pharmacists as an alternative source of medical advice.

In relation to the use of telephone services, the Committee recommended that the CCG should positively discourage the use of premium rate phone lines by GPs as highlighted in the LINK report. In making this statement, the Committee acknowledged the comments of John Morton who stated that while the CCG noted the issue they had no direct control over GPs in this matter.

Enter & View Report – Elysian house

Ms Jordan presented the findings of the LINKs Enter and View visit to Elysian House which had been undertaken as part of the LINKS remit to inspect and report on social care facilities in the borough.

Ms Jordan stated that the findings of the report were favourable though she did raise a concern regarding the permanency of the facility as the LINK reported that it would seem concerns raised by residents in relation to the prospect of the site being redeveloped were still relevant as the Fairview building project remained active and encroached close to Elysian House. Furthermore, the LINK reported that the new three year contract for Rethink Mental Illness’s occupancy would seem to include get-out clauses which indicate that it could be terminated.

Ms Jordan reported that previous residents of Elysian House were now located in the Springwell Centre, adjacent to Barnet Hospital, which is owned by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and that the Link Enter & View team intended to visit there in the near future.

In response to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

None.

John Murphy, Overview and Scrutiny Officer supporting the HOSC, advised the Committee of changes to the forward planning documents received by the Committee following the change to regulations relating to the advance notification of executive decisions.

The committee were advised that the Executive was no longer publishing a Cabinet Forward Plan and instead a 28 day advance notification of key executive decisions was being published.

The Committee were also advised that the Health and Well-being Boards Forward Work Programme was now being included in the Committee’s report pack. Members were advised that they should familiarise themselves with the contents of this Forward Programme in order to keep abreast of the key decisions being made by the Council and NHS heath partners over the coming months.

The Committee were advised that the work of the Health and Well-being Board would form a central part of the HOSCs key concerns particularly following the April 2013 go-live for the new health service structures including the formal transition of public health responsibilities to the council.

The Committee were advised that the Programme Manager for the Public Health Transition was intending to bring a report on the transition to the next meeting of the Committee on the 12^th February.

The Committee were also informed that the Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) NHS Trust had requested to bring papers relating to their quality standards and integrated business planning to the February meeting of the HOSC.

Cllr Cornelius requested that the CCG provide an update on their status at the next meeting in February.

Cllr Cornelius also requested that the London Ambulance Service be requested to bring a report to the Committee setting out their state of preparedness in relation to the implementation of the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Clinical Strategy.

Resolved that:

The Committee note the Forward Work Programme.

In response to the Committee’s concerns in relation to the welfare of the former residents of the Dolphin Ward at the Springwell Centre, John Morton, Designate Chief Officer of Barnet CCG, advised the Committee that with regard to the closure of Dolphin Ward that this had been undertaken due to the encroachment of building works at the site.

Mr Morton advised the Committee that the provision of alternative accommodation for the residents of Dolphin Ward was subject to ongoing negotiations and that the Committee would be advised of any developments in relation to this matter before any final decision was undertaken.

In relation to the acquisition of Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust by the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust, Cllr Helena Hart, the Cabinet Member for Public Health, reiterated to the Committee that a Strategic Outline Case had been submitted to NHS London and that it had been agreed for the Full Business Case to go forward.

Cllr Hart also advised the Committee of the appointment of Dr. Andrew Howe to the position of Director of Public Health for Barnet and Harrow.

Resolved that:

The Committee note the comments of the Designate Chief Officer for Barnet CCG in relation to Dolphin Ward and Cllr Hart’s comments in relation to the appointment of the Director of Public Health and Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust