Issue - meetings

Review of Health Visiting Services (Minute 49 of 2006 refers)

(1)       Mrs Angell asked Mr Phoenix whether the Health Visitors Review had been delayed to await the national review, as suggested by the Committee at its meeting on 10 November 2006.  Mr Phoenix responded that he had considered the NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s views but he had decided not to wait for the national review, as it had only just started and was not due to be completed until March 2007.

(2)       Mr Phoenix informed the Committee that the Health Visitors model being proposed in West Kent had impressed the Department of Health and, anecdotally, the Secretary of State. He informed the Committee that it was likely that the national review would be influenced by what was going on in West Kent.  If the national review had an outcome of different conclusions, these would be would be taken into account in the West Kent model.  However, Mr Phoenix was anticipating that the national review would reach conclusions similar to the proposed model for West Kent.

(3)       West Kent Primary Care Trust’s Health Visitors Review consultation had finished at the end of December 2006. One change resulting from the consultation would be an increase in the number of health visitors by around five whole-time-equivalents compared to the original proposal.

(4)       The West Kent Primary Care Trust Board would meet on 25 January 2007.  Mr Phoenix anticipated that this, and other recommendations arising from the review, would be endorsed at that meeting.  To delay the review until the outcome of the national review was known would have put the Health Visiting Service into limbo.

West Kent Primary Care Trust

(5)       Mr Tolputt asked whether the Committee could have a structure chart and a list of Directors appointed to the West Kent Primary Care Trust. Mr Phoenix said that not all appointments had been made. Appointments were still being made to the remaining Director posts. However, all non-executive Directors had been appointed.  This information would be made available to the Committee.