Agenda item

(Item 6 – report by Paul Wickenden, Overview and Scrutiny Manager)

(1)    The Overview and Scrutiny Manager reported on the potential work programme for the next two meetings of the Committee, based on approaches made to the Chairman and Spokesmen of the Committee or direct to him.

Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust – a new direction for surgical and orthopaedic care

(2)    Following the decision of the Committee on 12 January 2007, all the evidence had been re-examined and a meeting had taken place with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Liberal Democrat Spokesman of the Committee to agree the reasons underlying the Committee’s decision.  The Committee were invited to endorse the action which had been taken retrospectively by the Overview and Scrutiny Manager, with the approval of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Liberal Democrat Spokesman of the Committee.

(3)    The reasons for opposing the proposals, as agreed by the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Liberal Democrat Spokesman, had been sent to Mr Phoenix, Chief Executive of West Kent Primary Care Trust and Ms Gibb, Chief Executive of Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (see Appendix 1).

(4)    Members were reminded that the Committee had the power to refer matters to the Secretary of State for Health on grounds of inadequate consultation, or on the basis that what was proposed was not in the interests of health services in Kent.  However, this right of referral was only to be exercised as a last resort, once all avenues of possibility to resolve the matter locally been exhausted.

Meeting – 9 March 2007

(5)    Issues emerging for potential inclusion on the NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s agenda for the meeting on 9 March 2007 were:-

·              services provided for residents of north west Kent at the Gravesham Community Hospital, and the removal of some of these to the Darent Valley Hospital; and

·              Audiology Services, which the Committee had discussed at its meeting in January 2006 and agreed to review in a year’s time. 

(6)    Other concerns had been raised relating to cancer services at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and the proposed development of a polyclinic at Whitstable.  The Committee were asked to consider whether they would want to hold one meeting split between two locations – with the first half in north west Kent and the second half in east Kent.

(7)    The Committee concluded that it would be far more appropriate to have two separate meetings, one each to deal with the east Kent issues and the north west Kent ones.

Healthcare Commission Core Standards

(8)    The Committee considered whether it wished to make a submission in the spring for the Healthcare Commission’s annual healthcheck.  Each NHS Body was required to submit its self-assessment to the Healthcare Commission by 1 May 2007.

(9)    Three types of body had the opportunity to add a commentary to these self-assessments against the Healthcare Commission Core Standards, namely NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Patient and Public Involvement Fora and Strategic Health Authorities.

(10)  The Committee agreed that it would be useful to collate throughout the year evidence that it might wish to submit to the Healthcare Commission, so that compiling a submission in the spring was not too onerous a task.  The Committee noted that a new set of Healthcare Commission Core Standards was being piloted in 2007 and would be introduced in 2008.

(11)  Considerable discussion took place around the idea of “enhanced two-tier working” between county councils and borough/district councils. Other aspects of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill (which was currently before Parliament) were also discussed, including Community Calls for Action.  The Committee agreed that it would be useful to look at the structure of the NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committee, with a view to the Committee operating in future more at a strategic level, while devolving more local issues to borough/district authorities and other partners.  The Committee noted that protocols had already been agreed by the Kent Association of Local Authorities in 2001 regarding the delegation of more local-level issues to committees or joint committees of borough/district councils.

(12)  It was noted that, under provisions contained in the Bill, the County Council would also acquire the responsibility to establish a Local Involvement Network (LINk), which would replace the Patient and Public Involvement Fora in the county. It was already planned to abolish the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

(13)  Consideration was also given to the possibility of organising an event for all Members of the County Council to explain the concept of Patient Pathways for accessing health services.

(14)  The Committee asked that the provision of mental-health services should also be an item for a discussion at a future meeting.

RESOLVED that:-

a)      the action taken by the Overview and Scrutiny Manager, in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Liberal Democrat Spokesman, in taking forward the dialogue with health colleagues following the decision of the Committee on Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s consultation on ‘A new direction for surgical and orthopaedic care’, be agreed;

b)      the Work Programme and venues for the next two meetings of the Committee be as set out in the sub-paragraphs above;

c)      the Overview and Scrutiny Manager should continue to work with all stakeholders in looking at the possible devolution of health overview and scrutiny in the key issues to a more local level; and

d)      the Overview and Scrutiny Manager should investigate making arrangements for a seminar for all Members of the County Council on Patient Pathways for accessing health services.