To consider the committee’s work programme.

The chairperson introduced the item and drew attention to the following:

Updated work programme 2018/19

1.         The updated work programme included an additional meeting on 4 February 2019 to consider the alternative budget proposal 2019-20 submitted by the It’s Our County group.

Question from Paul Symonds

2.         In view of the question, ‘Would the committee consider building into its work programme the review and scrutiny of the decision by Wye Valley NHS Trust to close a number of Minor Injury Units (MIU) in the county?’, the observations of NHS Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had been sought on the matter.

3.         It was reported that the acting director of operations of the CCG had commented that the temporary closure was in effect and would re-open on 26 April 2019 and the volume of people supported by the MIU in Ross-on-Wye and Leominster was very low.

4.         The chairperson proposed that a report on emergency and urgent care, including the MIU, and on the broader performance of Wye Valley NHS Trust, be brought back to the committee during the new council term.

Request from the audit and governance committee

5.         The audit and governance committee, in considering corporate and directorate risk registers (minute 348 refers), had requested the scrutiny committee to consider including delayed transfers of care and care home ratings in its future work programme. 

6.         The chairperson proposed that these topics be considered by the scrutiny committee as part of its work programming session during the new council term.

7.         The chairperson advised that the director of adults and communities had made a draft presentation available for circulation to scrutiny committee members on the care market.

Response of the CCG on NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Framework in Herefordshire recommendations

8.         It was reported that, following the 20 September 2018 meeting, recommendations were submitted to the CCG.  The chairperson had received a letter in response from the managing director of the CCG dated 16 November 2018.

9.         The chairperson commented that it was disappointing that, given the recommendation ‘The CCG be requested to influence the report of the NHS England to be a system review and to include the local authority in that review’, work had gone ahead without the local authority being involved.  She added that, whilst CHC may be led by the CCG, it required a system wide understanding and response.   Nevertheless, it was encouraging that staff training and new working arrangements had been put in place since the joint review.

10.      It was requested that a joint CCG and local authority update on the report findings be provided as part of the scheduled item on health and care system leadership, integration and the better care fund.

RESOLVED:  That

1)         the updated work programme for 2018/19 be approved;

2)         Herefordshire NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and Wye Valley NHS Trust be requested to prepare a report on emergency and urgent care, including the Minor Injury Units, and the broader performance of Wye Valley NHS Trust for consideration during 2019;

3)         the scrutiny committee considers including delayed transfers of care and care home ratings in its work programme for 2019/20; and

4)         a joint CCG and local authority update on the Continuing Healthcare report findings be provided as part of the scheduled item on health and care system leadership, integration and the better care fund.