Agenda and minutes

Councillor Michael Lyons declared a personal interest in the Agenda as a Governor of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of 13 April 2012 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)       The Chairman drew the Committee’s attention to the Forward Work Programme contained within the Agenda pack and explained that it developed ideas put forward at the previous meeting in consultation with the Vice-Chairman and Group spokespersons, assisted by Committee Officers.

(2)       One Member made a series of observations about the Committee’s involvement with the substantive item of this meeting’s Agenda, the East Kent Maternity Services Review. This involvement had lasted 18 months and Members had invested a lot of hours work on this subject. The question was raised as to whether the outcome which was to be achieved justified the time spent and a request made for a review of the process to be undertaken to provide lessons for the future.

(3)       The Chairman undertook to work on such a review with Committee Officers.

(4)       AGREED that the Committee approve the proposed Forward Work Programme.

Dr Sarah Montgomery (GP Clinical Commissioner), Lindsey Stevens (Head of Midwifery, East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust), Helen Buckingham (Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Whole Systems Commissioning, NHS Kent and Medway), James Ransom (Lead Commissioner Maternity Services, NHS Kent and Medway), Sara Warner (Assistant Director Citizen Engagement, NHS Kent and Medway), Dr Neil Martin (Medical Director, East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust), and Dr John Allingham (Medical Secretary, Kent Local Medical Committee) were in attendance for this item.

(a)       The Chairman introduced the item and explained that the Committee had a combination of written updates and discussions on this item for over a year, along with individual members having got involved in the work between formal meetings. This was in addition to the valuable work of the HOSC Liaison Group. HOSC made no response to the consultation, though individual Members may have, and so has taken more of an overview/assurance role during the entire process. Both the Boards of NHS Kent and Medway and East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust have made their decision, namely Option 1 on the consultation paper, and so it is for HOSC to consider this decision and express any further views.

(b)       Colleagues attending from the NHS were welcomed and offered the opportunity to explain the decision which had been reached.

(c)        NHS representatives began with outlining the four tests which service changes in the NHS had to meet. These tests were clinical evidence, support of GP commissioners, patient choice supported, and wider engagement, including the HOSC. The NHS locally believed that all four tests had been met along with five criteria they had set themselves.

(d)       The first of these criteria was quality and safety, particularly in the context of the impact on safety at William Harvey Hospital given the increasing popularity of its birth centre, decreasing use of the standalone midwifery led units and 1.6% year on year increase in the birth rate. Achieving the standard of 1:1 midwife care during labour was non-negotiable. The second criteria was for services to be as accessible as possible so that there was more certainty around accessing hi-tech than lo-tech services. The third criterion was maintenance of choice, with the co-location of midwifery led units with consultant led units providing the optimum choice. Fourthly, the service needed to be sustainable in that it needed to be affordable and match a viable staff reconfiguration. Finally, it needed to ensure the safety of all women who need the service.

(e)       NHS representatives explained that the three options in the consultation were developed when all these were put together. All three involved the opening of the midwifery led unit at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, with one option closing the birthing unit at Buckland Hospital, the other closing the birthing unit at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Option 1, involving the closure of both, was approved by the Boards of both NHS Kent and Medway and East Kent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.