Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ

Contact: Email: tracy.scollin@barnet.gov.uk Tel 020 8359 2315 

Note: Two paper copies of the agenda only will be available at the meeting for members of the public. Attendees are requested to view the agenda online and if needed, to print any specific agenda report(s). 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 323 KB

2.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

None.

3.

Declaration of Members' Interests

Minutes:

None.

4.

Report of the Monitoring Officer

Minutes:

None.

5.

Public Question Time (If Any)

Minutes:

None.

6.

Members' Item in the name of Cllr Geof Cooke - Absence of promotion of public transport services at Royal Free London Trust sites in and around Barnet pdf icon PDF 433 KB

Member’s Item in the name of Councillor Geof Cooke

Minutes:

The Chairman invited to the table:

 

·       Caroline Clarke, Group Chief Executive, Royal Free London (RFL) NHS Foundation Trust

 

Cllr Cooke reported that he had been promised that a travel plan would be produced for Barnet Hospital, to try to encourage the use of public transport to the hospital. Ms Clarke agreed that this needed to be done and added that the RFL NHS Foundation Trust was keen to work with Barnet Council on travel plans in relation to all its sites.

 

The Trust also aimed to reduce outpatient attendance by 30% over the next two years with the introduction of remote appointments.

 

The Chairman noted that BH had information on buses on its website but asked Cllr Cooke if he had any further suggestions that the Trust could implement.

 

Cllr Cooke noted that parking around and within Barnet Hospital (BH) had been a problem for a long time. There is an excellent bus service directly to BH and two other services which stopped nearby. He added that he had visited BH recently and could not see any information for patients on bus services but plenty of information was available about parking. He had seen some out-of-date information on buses which was so old that it was illegible.

 

Cllr Cooke stated that BH could publicise the use of public transport and car sharing to patients, visitors and staff. Many people who attend the hospital are mobile. Cllr Cooke noted that the issue was more serious at BH but it also applied to Chase Farm Hospital.

 

Ms Clarke agreed, noting that the situation had improved at Chase Farm but that plans were being made for further improvements. She would contact Cllr Cooke when the plans had been carried out so that he could review the sites.

 

A member suggested introducing a live notice board with bus arrival times at BH. This had been successful in some venues. A member suggested that GPs be sent details of bus routes to the hospitals.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the Member’s Item.

 

7.

Minutes of the North Central Sector London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

None.

8.

Updates from Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

·       Group Chief Executive’s Vision for Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

·       Wuhan Novel Coronavirus

·       Barnet Hospital Planning Application

 

Caroline Clarke, Group Chief Executive, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Minutes:

The Chairman invited to the table for the following five updates:

·       Caroline Clarke, Group Chief Executive, Royal Free London (RFL) NHS Foundation Trust

 

Group Chief Executive’s Vision for the Royal Free London (RFL) NHS Foundation Trust

 

Ms Clarke provided an overview of the RFL Vision for the next few years which included:

 

Working in clinical partnerships with other Trusts and local GPs to achieve:

  • Excellent health outcomes for residents
  • Positive experiences for staff and patients
  • A sustainable health system with reduced carbon and waste

 

She continued that the key of RFL’s Clinical Strategy included:

 

  • Development of cardiovascular and cancer services
  • Focus on services for women and children
  • The completion of the Institute for Infection and Immunity at the Royal Free Hospital (RFH) site
  • Increasing the integration of services with Primary and Community care
  • Increasing capacity for regenerative medicine and organ transplantation as well as gene therapy and manufacture of cells

 

Ms Clarke noted that Barnet Hospital (BH) was very busy and there was too much variation in patients’ care. RFL would work together with partners across health and social care, including Barnet Council, to provide a better standard of service.  Building relationships was an important factor as well as engaging more effectively with local communities.

 

A Member asked about the resource implications of the vision. Ms Clarke responded that the Royal Free Hospital (RFH) has a fantastic charity and a fundraising campaign would be launched until 2028. The Trust would also continue to try to reduce costs by reducing variation of care and by reducing indirect costs through further consolidation of support services across North London.

 

 

A Member asked about the implications of Brexit for recruitment. Ms Clarke noted that the RFH has 10,000 staff and 1,000 volunteers but it was likely that there would be difficulties in recruitment due to new government policies. One way of managing this is the use of technology and digital care. NHS policy is moving towards self-care and preventative care. In the shorter term, the Trust would work across the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) and with local government and would continue to try make working in north London a positive experience for staff.

 

Ms Clarke reported that 12% of the Trust’s staff were from the EU and there had been a big reduction in applications for posts since Brexit. Recent recruitment drives in other parts of the world, such as India and the Philippines, had been positive.

 

A Member asked about the use of agency staff. Ms Clarke responded that the Trust was trying hard to reduce this as it was expensive and had an impact on team stability. Nationally there is an initiative to train nurses via apprenticeships rather than higher education. The Trust is working with the Executive Director of Adults and Communities at Barnet Council and her team around supporting Nursing Homes and working together to encourage recruitment in Barnet. The NHS People Plan is emerging nationally and should help with this.

 

A Member asked how much the clinical strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Update on Surplus Land at Finchley Memorial Hospital pdf icon PDF 222 KB

Eugene Prinsloo, Developments Director, Community Health Partnerships Ltd

Minutes:

The Chairman invited to the table:

 

  • Eugene Prinsloo, Developments Director, Community Health Partnerships

 

Mr Prinsloo reported that CHP’s Property Committee had approved an option to provide key worker housing for the site and a budget had been identified.  The pre-advice stage would take place at the end of March, with the feedback being reviewed ready for an outline Planning Application to be submitted in September 2020.

 

The Chairman asked why the process would take so long to get to the application stage, following community consultation. Mr Prinsloo responded that there could be a delay due to the summer holiday period but, if time allowed, the Application could be submitted sooner.

 

The Chairman asked how quickly the project would be delivered if the plans were agreed. Mr Prinsloo responded that this would depend on how it is delivered.  The work to inform delivery options, including a joint venture, was being done at the same time as the Planning Application.

 

A Member asked whether the site had been identified and what the framework is for working with Ward Councillors. Mr Prinsloo responded that the site was on the corner of Bow Lane and Granville Road. A capacity study would take place to see what number of units the site could hold and the impact on parking was also being considered. These plans would be discussed with Ward Councillors.

 

A Member asked about the oak tree on the corner of the site. Mr Prinsloo noted that a tree has a Tree Preservation Order and the plans would work around this. CHP felt landscaping was an important part of the plans for the site.

 

Cllr Cooke noted that Ward Councillors should have had information on this site six months previously and he had tried to find out what was happening. He had also listed about 8 questions about the site. This was disappointing as local residents were concerned and interested. He asked when CHP would forward more information.

 

Mr Prinsloo apologised about the lack of responses. CHP had been working on putting a team together since September 2019. He hoped that there would be some clarity in the next 2-3 weeks when he would discuss the queries with Cllr Cooke. He agreed to arrange a meeting with Ward Councillors (scheduled for 19th March).

 

A Member noted that it was important to make the case strongly so that key worker housing is assured. She asked what form the consultation and pre-application process would take. For example, were there other Trusts with experience of providing such key worker housing that CHP could learn from?

 

Mr Prinsloo responded that key worker accommodation is an NHS priority. The STP was supporting a piece of work on data collection on key worker housing including relevant salary levels. This should be available around the end of March. CHP was also looking into a fall-back option. If the demand is not there for NHS key worker accommodation, the land would be considered for other key worker uses.

 

A Member noted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Update on mid-year Quality Accounts 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 725 KB

·       Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

·       Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust

·       North London Hospice

 

For the Committee to note.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee RESOLVED to note the reports.

 

11.

Barnet CCG - Decision on Cricklewood Walk In Service pdf icon PDF 815 KB

Paper to follow

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman invited the following to the table:

 

  • Sarah D’Souza, Director of Commissioning, Barnet CCG
  • Ruth Donaldson, Director of Commissioning, Barnet CCG
  • Don Neame, Leathgo Consultancy Ltd

 

Ms D’Souza reported that Leathgo Consultancy had analysed the responses to the consultation and put together the results and was here to respond to any questions associated with the analysis of the consultation process.

 

Ms D’Souza reported that the decision to close the service when the current contract came to an end had been made on 13 February by Barnet CCG and 12 February by Brent CCG. The report included further recommendations for Barnet and Brent Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to support the implementation of the service change. Ms D’Souza then explained the reasons for the decision made by both CCGs to close the Walk In Service (WIS).

 

She noted that the GP Practice at the Cricklewood site was due to be re-procured at the end of June 2020.

 

Ms D’Souza reported that at the 11 July 2019 HOSC meeting there had been a discussion about national and local changes since the WIS had been commissioned nine years previously. Views of local people using the service had been taken into account with 24% of attendances  being by Barnet GP registered patients. An Equalities Impact Assessment had also been undertaken.

 

Ms D’Souza reported that demand for the WIS had reduced by 24% since 2016/17 and reviewing the data it looked likely to continue to go down for the current year. At the RFH there had been an increase in A&E attendances for Primary Care needs so, rather than attending the WIS, many patients are still attending A&E. Although the WIS is convenient, she added that it did not always address the long-term health needs of patients as it provided episodic care and did not have access to health records or the ability to refer patients on to other services.

 

With the move to Primary Care Networks (PCNs) there would be significant additional investment into PCNs and integrated care.

 

The case for developing the WIS into a UTC had been considered. There was already a UTC close to the site and this would require additional funding to meet national standards for example for x-ray equipment, estate changes and specialist staffing as well as the national tariff for UTC attendances. Significant funding would be required and the throughput was not sufficient to justify this.

 

Fundamentally the concerns raised about the closure of the WIS were around access to Primary Care. The CCGs had considered what both Brent and Barnet were doing to improve this access, with the introduction of extended access GP Hubs and other measures. The CCG had invested in the GP Hubs with additional appointments now available at weekends, evenings and on Bank Holidays. The CCG had also increased online access to make appointments. 

 

Ms D’Souza reported that, as well as closing the WIS, the CCG had agreed to several recommendations:

 

12.

Moorfields Eye Hospital City Road Services Relocation pdf icon PDF 599 KB

Decision letter – North Central London STP

 

To note.

Minutes:

The Committee RESOLVED to note the letter.

 

13.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Minutes:

11 May 2020

 

Quality Accounts:

 

·       North London Hospice

·       Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust

·       Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

 

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust:

 

·        Update on Clinical Harm Review regarding Cerner and Barnet CCG’s comments on the Review

·        Update on CQC inspection

 

Update on Adult Elective Orthopaedic Surgery Consultation

 

9 July 2020

 

Updates:

 

·       Measles and childhood inoculations

·       Breastfeeding Support Service

·       New contract for APMS GP Practice in Cricklewood

·       Finchley Memorial Hospital (FMH) – update on services provided and feedback on the CQC inspection of the Walk in Centre.

·       Integration Barnet CCG – Map of GP Hubs in Barnet, details of how many appointments are available at each, and the uptake.

 

 

14.

Any Other Items that the Chairman Decides are Urgent pdf icon PDF 346 KB

Minutes:

Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB)

 

The Chairman invited the following to the table:

 

  • Cllr Caroline Stock, Chairman, HWBB
  • Dr Janet Djomba, Consultant in Public Health, LBB

 

Cllr Stock reported that the HWBB had been involved in Barnet’s ‘Sugar Smart’ Campaign including ‘Fizz Free February’ to discourage consumption of fizzy drinks. The Campaign had particularly focused on 0-11-year olds but aimed to inform everyone that sugar consumption is far too high. More water fountains had been made available across the Borough and some shops now offered water refills.

 

Barnet had been working with a Junior and a Senior School to encourage them to reduce sugar in their meals. 

 

Tooth decay was particularly a problem as it caused the largest number of hospital admissions in 5-9-year olds so Barnet was taking this seriously. Cllr Stock reported that she had visited a sugar-free school – all meals served were sugar free and the children were given a low GI snack before lunch. It had been found that this had a positive impact on the pupils’ concentration.

 

Dr Djomba reported that the Sugar Smart Campaign aimed to encourage organisations to make pledges that contributed to a more sugar-free environment. Simple measures could be put in place to help children make healthier choices, such as promoting water instead of sugary drinks and replacing desserts in school menus with fruit. The Campaign was also promoting sport and physical activities. She urged Members that if they are in communication with local schools to signpost them to the Public Health Team.

 

A Member commented that hidden sugar could be impossible to spot, for example in ready meals. Dr Djomba agreed, noting that helping people to understand food labelling was part of the Campaign. Cllr Stock noted that cookery classes had been launched in the Unitas building to teach children and parents to cook from scratch.

 

Cllr Stock reported that another Diabetic Awareness Day would be held at Brent Cross Shopping Centre on Monday 8 June, and a ‘Heart’ Awareness Day was also being planned. She was also working in collaboration with Middlesex University staff.

 

Brent Cross would be one of the first shopping centres in the country to take part in ‘social prescribing’ which would be launched in April, funded by the Barnet Community Fund. This would include encouraging walking and other types of social prescribing and would be attended by voluntary organisations.

 

The Committee RESOLVED to note the update.

 

The meeting finished at 10.00 pm