Apologies were received from Councillors PL Bettington, MAF Hubbard and R Preece and from Mr P Burbidge and Mr P Sell.

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

Councillor AJ Hempton-Smith substituted for Councillor MAF Hubbard.

There were none.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 5 March, 19 March, 13 April (to follow) and 23 April (to follow).

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meetings held on 5 March, 19 March, 13 April and 23 April 2012 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.

(There will be no discussion of the issue at the time when the matter is raised.  Consideration will be given to whether it should form part of the Committee’s work programme when compared with other competing priorities.)

There were none.

To note questions received from the public and the items to which they relate.

(Questions are welcomed for consideration at a Scrutiny Committee meeting so long as the question is directly related to an item listed on the agenda.  If you have a question you would like to ask then please submit it no later than two working days before the meeting to the Committee Officer.  This will help to ensure that an answer can be provided at the meeting). 

There were none.

To receive a presentation on the work of the Trust.

The Committee received a presentation on the work of the Trust.

Mr Colin Merker, Chief Operating Officer (CO), of the Trust gave the presentation.  A document; Transformation Brief Year One Summary was also circulated. A copy of the presentation and the additional document has been placed with the agenda papers on the Minute Book.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·         The plans to replace the Oak House, Hereford, intensive recovery inpatient unit, were discussed.

·         Questions were asked about the performance of the Children and Mental Health Service (CAMHS).  The CO acknowledged that the service faced challenges but improvements had been made and would continue to be made.  Members proposed that the service should be the subject of a short Task and Finish review. 

·         That consideration needed to be given to the content of future updates to the Committee from health bodies to ensure that they presented Members with a clear picture of service delivery.   Members requested that performance information be provided to them in advance of the meeting and that each meeting at which an update was to be received should have a particular focus.

·         That performance information in itself did not provide a complete picture of the quality of service delivery.  Members proposed that at the next update from the 2gether Trust the Committee should focus on user feedback.   This could be complemented by some Member visits.  The CO commented that the Trust did work with the Service User Group.  He reminded the Committee that the Trust was subject to a range of external inspections.

·         The reduction in adult inpatient beds on the Mortimer ward to date and the further planned reduction were discussed.  The CO commented that the number of beds in Herefordshire was in the upper quartile of authorities and the number of beds used had been generally significantly above demand.  There were currently some pinch points at times but service changes that would reduce admissions would begin to take effect.  Savings from the reduction in beds would contribute to the cost of service transformation.

·         It was requested that information on suicide rates in the County and how these compared with other areas be provided to Members.

·         Attention was drawn to the number of unexplained acronyms in the material presented to the Committee.  It was requested that a glossary be produced for Members’ reference.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)     the Children and Mental Health Service should be the subject of a short Task and Finish Review;

              (b)     consideration to be given to the content of future updates to the Committee from health bodies to ensure that they presented Members with a clear picture of service delivery; with performance information to be provided in advance of the meeting and with each meeting at which an update is to be received to have a particular focus;

              (c)     the next update from the 2gether Trust the Committee should focus on user feedback, supported by a programme of Member visits arranged in advance of the meeting;

              (d)     a briefing note on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120.

To consider the findings arising from the Task & Finish Review into the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The Committee considered the findings arising from the Task and Finish Review into the performance of the NHS Integrated pathways and Make Ready System implemented in the County by West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Councillor JW Millar, Chairman of the Group, presented the report.  He highlighted that Paramedics were now available on every relevant service vehicle based in Hereford City and each of the five market towns 24 hours per day.  This cover had not previously been available and represented a significant improvement in service. 

Members discussed aspects of how the systems would work in practice.  It was noted that a trial in Bromyard had proved successful.  It was proposed that a progress report be made to the Committee in six months time.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)     the findings of the review of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Integrated Pathways and Make Ready System in Herefordshire be noted; and

            (b)        a report on progress in implementing the systems be made to the Committee in six month’s time.

To provide the Committee with an overview of the Rolling Programme, its purpose and management.

The Committee received and noted an overview of the Rolling Programme of items to be brought forward for Member consideration over a twelve month period, its purpose and management.

To consider the Committee’s work programme.

The Committee considered its work programme.

Concerns were expressed about the delay in progress with the Local Development Framework (LDF) and the Committee’s role in scrutinising it.  It was suggested that there were a number of outstanding issues to which consideration needed to be given and from which lessons could be learned that could inform future work on the LDF.

Members were informed that a statement on the delay to the LDF was included in the Leader’s report to Council on 25 May.  They were assured that it was clearly understood that provision had to be made for the Committee to scrutinise the LDF at the appropriate time. 

RESOLVED: 

That      (a)     the work programme be noted; and

              (b)     that an informal briefing on the Local Development Framework be held on 29 May to which all Members should be invited.