To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor G. Lucas.

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

There were no named substitutes.

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

Councillor W.L.S. Bowen declared an interest as a Non –Executive Member of the Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust Board.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September, 2005

RESOLVED:            That the Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September, 2005 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

No suggestions were made.

To receive a presentation by the Ambulance Trust’s Chief Executive on the options being considered to manage the Trust’s financial situation.

To receive an update on current issues.

Mr Simon Hairsnape, Deputy Chief Executive of the Herefordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) provided an update on current health issues.

He commented as follows:

·          In relation to the presentation to the Committee by the Chief Executive of the Hereford and Worcester NHS Ambulance Trust, the previous item on the agenda, he said that the County was fortunate to have a high performing and innovative Ambulance Trust.  Any organisation seeking to change the way in which it delivered services, as that Trust was doing, would face some criticism and concern but he believed that the Trust was correctly looking to the future.

·          That the PCT was shortly to embark on the second year of the three year Local Delivery Plan (2005-08).  The Trust was to receive a further £15million in 2006/07 a 7.5% budget increase.  Both the PCT and the Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust had balanced their budgets.

·          Waiting times had been viewed by the Government as the foremost public concern and the evidence showed that this was being addressed.  There had been significant reduction in waiting times in the County.  The next target was to reduce the time from a patient seeing their GP to being treated in hospital as a day case to a maximum of 18 weeks. 

·          There was evidence that, contrary to some predictions, patients would exercise their rights to choose where they would have their treatment and this would present management challenges.

·          That the PCT was specifically dedicating resources to a public health programme in 2006/07.  The focus on Hereford City and in particular the South Wye area recognised the need to address the historically poor access to health services in that area.

·          A new dental contract would come into force in April 2006.  The PCT was now nearing the point where everyone in the County who wanted to register with an NHS dentist could do so.

·          In terms of cancer services discussions were taking place within the Three Counties Cancer Network about future radiotherapy provision.  It was recognised that travelling times from the West of the County to the present facility at Cheltenham were an issue and there was a wish to address this if possible. 

·          Practice based commissioning would provide an opportunity to develop services.

·          Reorganisation of the Health Service was also ongoing.  A consultation exercise was expected to be launched by the Strategic Health Authority on 14 December and run until mid-March.  The consultation document was to include the continuation of a Herefordshire PCT as a preferred option.  However, it would nevertheless be important to provide a robust argument in support of the PCT’s survival.   The joint working between the Council and the PCT, facilitated by the co-terminosity of the two organisations and which had been encouraged by the Department of Health, would be a key component of that case.

In response to this statement the following principal comments and questions were raised:

·          A question was asked about the potential threat posed by patient choice to the viability of providers.  Mr Hairsnape replied  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

To receive a presentation on the scope for creating a Health Park in Herefordshire.

Mr Jim Wilkinson, Chairman of the Herefordshire Primary Care Trust Patient and Public Involvement Forum outlined to the Committee the concept of a health park for Herefordshire, bringing all health care services together into one place. 

He gave Addenbrookes in Cambridge, Keynsham at Bristol, Sandwell and the health village at Oswestry as examples of the concept in operation and drew attention to a proposal for West Cumbria, details of which he had made available separately to the Chairman.   He believed there were funding sources available and there was an opportunity for Herefordshire to develop such a facility.  The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health had indicated that it would be prepared to finance a visit to one of the present health parks.

The Chairman thanked Mr Wilkinson and said that he would make details of the West Cumbria proposal available to Members of the Committee and seek a view from the Primary Care Trust on how a proposal might be pursued.

To note progress on the scrutiny review of Communication.

The Committee noted progress on the review.

To note progress on the review of GP out of hours services.

The Committee noted progress on the review.

Mr Hairsnape provided an update on the arrangements for securing the delivery of GP out of hours services upon the expiry of the present contract in March 2006.  He informed the Committee that bids had been invited through the European Recruitment process and the Panel appointed to evaluate the bids had unanimously recommended that a new contract should be entered into with the present provider, Primecare.  This recommendation would be considered by the Professional Executive Committee and a final decision taken by the Primary Care Trust Board on 21 December.

A Member expressed dissatisfaction with his personal experience of the out of hours service which the Chairman undertook to discuss further with him.