To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor T.M. James, R. Mills, and J.B. Williams.

To receive details of any Member nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillor Mrs P.A. Andrews substituted for Councillor T.M. James.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 13th November, 2003.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the meeting held on 13th November, 2003 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide the Committee with an update on the process for responding to the Ear, Nose and Throat Service consultation exercise.

The Committee considered a report on the process for responding to a consultation on proposals for the Ear, Nose and Throat service.

It was reported at the meeting that the Primary Care Trust had not, as had been expected, approved a consultation document on the future arrangements for the service at its meeting on 28th January.  It now planned to do so in March.  However, the view was that the Committee could proceed with the arrangements suggested in the report.

The Director of Social Care and Strategic Housing and the Head of Policy and Communication commented on the approach which it was proposed to follow and there was an initial discussion of some of the issues which would need to be taken into consideration.

RESOLVED:   That the arrangements for undertaking the response to the consultation report on the future arrangements for the Ear Nose and Throat Service as set out in the report be approved.

To consider a draft scoping statement to guide the work of the Committee in relation to its review of how the recent outbreak of Legionnaires disease was managed. 

The Committee considered a draft scoping statement to guide the work of the Committee in relation to its review of how the recent outbreak of Legionnaires disease had been managed.

The Committee discussed the scope of the review and it was suggested that the terms of reference should be augmented to provide for review of the overall effectiveness of the joint response to the outbreak of the agencies involved.  It was also proposed that the Chairman of the Environment Scrutiny Committee should be invited to support the review.

RESOLVED:

That    (a) the draft scoping statement attached at appendix 1 to the report be approved as amended;

            and

(b)       the Chairman of the Environment Scrutiny Committee be invited to  support the review of how the recent Legionnaires disease outbreak had been managed.

To consider a draft scoping statement for the review of emergency care access. 

The Committee considered a draft scoping statement for the review of emergency care access.

It was noted that evidence gathered in the response to the consultation on proposals for the Ear Nose and Throat Service might be useful in the context of the review and that duplication of evidence gathering should be avoided.  It was suggested that ensuring equality of access should be added to the review’s desired outcomes.

RESOLVED:

That    (a)        the scoping statement for the review of emergency care access as appended to the report be approved as amended;

                        and

            (b)       Councillor Mrs WU Attfield, G Lucas and Mrs G.A. Powell be nominated to serve on the Review Group and Councillor Mrs P.A. Andrews also be invited to serve on the Group.

To receive an update on car parking provision at car parking at Hereford Hospital.

The Committee received an update on car parking provision at Hereford Hospital.

The report set out discussions which had taken place with representatives from the Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust and Mercia Health Care about car parking at the site. It was noted that additional car parking on the site amounting to 110 places was still available under the terms of the original planning permission and that this was now expected to be available by April, 2004.  Further discussions were to take place on possible areas where additional car parking could be provided within the constraints of the site.  The Trust and Mercia Health Care were also to monitor the situation as an ongoing action.  Further reports would be made to the Committee as appropriate.

The Committee welcomed the progress which was being made.  However, in the course of discussion it was proposed that the Trust should be requested to consider whether there was scope for management of car parking at the site to be improved.  It was suggested that the present charging structure, involving a fixed payment of £1.50 for the first three hours, should be reviewed to see if greater turnover of vehicles could be encouraged; that consideration should be given to increasing provision the number of parking spaces for those with a disability, and reviewing arrangements for accommodating the air ambulance.

RESOLVED:   That the Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust be asked to consider whether there was scope for management of car parking at the site to be improved, noting concerns about the charging structure, the provision of parking spaces for those with a disability and the arrangements for accommodating the air ambulance.