Agenda and minutes

Councillors Organ, Bevan and Brinkhurst had sent their apologies to the Panel.  Councillors Brian Simmons, Ben Stevens and Gerry Curran were their substitutes respectively.   

Councillor Anthony Clarke declared personal and non-prejudicial interest on the agenda item ‘Referral to treatment times briefing’ as he is member of the RUH Foundation Trust and also member of the Friends of the RUH.

Councillor Katie Hall declared personal and non-prejudicial interest on the agenda item ‘Referral to treatment times briefing’ as she is a member of the RUH Foundation Trust.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson declared personal and non- prejudicial interest on the agenda item ‘Transfer of Community Services to Sirona Care & Health Community Interest Company’ as she is Council’s representative on Sirona Care & Health Community Interest Company. 

Councillor Vic Pritchard declared personal and non-prejudicial interest on the agenda item ‘Transfer of Community Services to Sirona Care & Health Community Interest Company’ as he is Council’s representative on Sirona Care & Health Community Interest Company.

Councillor Simon Allen (Cabinet Member for Wellbeing) declared personal non-prejudicial interest on the agenda item ‘Cabinet Member update’ as he is employed by the National Autistic Society in Bristol.

The Chairman informed the meeting that Mr Philip Gait will address the Panel under item 15 on the agenda (Home Improvement Agency Commission update).

To confirm the minutes of the above meeting as a correct record.

The Panel confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting as a true record and they were duly signed by the Chairman subject to the following amendments:

·  Minute 23, Page 2, 4^th paragraph, last sentence should read ‘their services’ instead of ‘there services’.

·  Minute 28, Page 5, 4^th paragraph, last sentence should read ‘but dissatisfied’ instead of ‘but not satisfied’.

·  Minute 28, Page 6, 6^th paragraph, last word should read ‘efficiently’ instead of ‘inefficiently’

The Panel will have an opportunity to ask questions to the Cabinet Member and to receive an update on any current issues.

The Chairman invited Councillor Simon Allen (Cabinet Member for Wellbeing) to give an update to the Panel (attached as Appendix to these minutes).

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Councillor Allen said, related to the Autism Strategy, more information is needed about our population with autism and overall numbers and needs are not known hence why it will be difficult to plan the right services and support for the future. 

Councillor Clarke commented maybe the Council should wait with the strategy before they get the right information and numbers.

Councillor Curran commented that our schools provide excellent services for children with autism.  Councillor Curran asked when the consultation on Autism Strategy will start/finish.

Councillor Allen said that he will provide more information about the consultation on one of the future meetings.  Councillor Allen also said that the strategy will be reviewed nationally in 2013.

Councillor Jackson asked if there were any updates on the Laurels Nursing Home in Timsbury.  Councillor Allen replied that he was not aware of any outstanding issues for that nursing home.  Councillor Jackson asked if the update could be provided for the next meeting.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Simon Allen.

The Chairman invited Councillor David Bellotti (Cabinet Member for Resources) to provide an answer to Panel’s question from the last meeting.  The question for Councillor Bellotti was: What is the intention of £230k allocated the revenue support of hostel facility for homeless?

Councillor David Bellotti answered that there was nothing in the capital programme.  Councillor Bellotti also said that the intention of the current administration is to reduce the borrowing.  £230k is still there and it could be used within the budget process.  It is for the lead Cabinet Member and the relevant Director to decide how the money will be spent.  The new medium term plans will be consolidated to form the Council budget which will be considered in February by Council.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Bellotti for providing the answer. 

The Panel will receive an update from the NHS on current issues.

The Chairman invited Jeff James (NHS BANES Chief Executive) to give an update to the Panel (attached as Appendix to these minutes).

The Panel noted the update.

The Panel are asked to consider an update from the BANES Local Involvement Network.

The Chairman invited Diana Hall-Hall and Mike Vousden to take the Panel through the update.

The Chairman thanked LINks representatives for an update.

The draft Adult Social Care & Housing Medium Term Service & Resource Plan (MTSRP) is presented for consideration by the Panel:

(1)  To ensure all members of the Panel are aware of the context for Service Action Planning

(2)  To enable comment on the strategic choices inherent in the medium term plan

(3)  To enable issues to be highlighted for consideration in January by the Panel as part of the service action planning and budget processes

(4)  To enable issues to be referred to the relevant Portfolio holder at an early stage in the service planning and budget process.

The Chairman invited Jane Shayler (Programme Director for Non-Acute Health, Social Care and Housing) to introduce the report.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Sirona Care & Health Community Interest Company (CIC) will deliver recurring annual savings of £1.9m for the Council by year five of the contract, total saving for the Council will be £7.4 million over the five year period.

The Panel asked if the most vulnerable users will receive the same level of service considering the proposed reductions to balance budgets.

Jane Shayler said that most vulnerable users will receive the same level of service although it will be a challenge to ensure that the delivery of challenging efficiency savings in the adult social care purchasing budget does not impact on service quality or safety.  The Contracting and Commissioning Team will continue to visit residential and nursing care facilities to check that everything is in order in terms of service delivery.

Jane Shayler informed the Panel that draft Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) had been undertaken but it wasn’t published yet.  No specific issues were identified in terms of adverse impact.  Current administration, like the previous one, decided not to reduce the eligibility criteria for adult social services.

The Panel felt that there were no issues requiring further consideration and highlighting as part of the service action plan for January meeting.  The Panel also didn’t identify any issue in the plan that needs to be referred to the relevant Cabinet Member for further consideration.

It was RESOLVED to note the report.

The Wellbeing Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel are asked to note:

·  The improved local position in term of performance by our main local provider, the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

·  The range of further actions being taken to strengthen local performance.

The Chairman invited Tracey Cox (NHS BANES Programme Director for Commissioning) and Lisa Hunt (RUH Chief Operating Officer) to introduce the report.

Tracey Cox took the Panel through the report.  Lisa Hunt added that admitted performance had been sustained, non-admitted performance stayed the same and that the incomplete pathways were not reported accurately by some colleagues.  Some patients said that new referral to treatment times are too quick for them (i.e. they might go away on holiday, etc) but those are only small number of patients.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

The Panel asked if 18 weeks target is still considered to be long time.

Lisa Hunt replied that as far as she is concerned she would like to see patients treated sooner.  However, due to financial constraints it is difficult to set waiting time lower than 18 weeks.

The Panel asked to what extent the treatment of patients is affected with the outbreak of viruses, such as Norovirus, where hospital has to close some wards.

Lisa Hunt replied that she built her own winter plan with consideration given to enablement of additional 50 beds if needed although the infection control rate was quite satisfactory.

The Panel asked what percentage of patients missed their appointments.

Tracey Cox and Lisa Hunt replied that the number is not that high and it is variable by department.

It was RESOLVED to note the improved local position in terms of performance by the RUH Bath and to note the range of actions being taken to strengthen local performance.

The Panel will consider a verbal update from Programme Director for Non-Acute Health, Social Care and Housing on this matter.

The Chairman invited Jane Shayler to give a verbal update on the High Dependency Unit in Hillview Lodge.

Jane Shayler informed the meeting that some Panel Members had a site visit to Hillview Lodge.  The AWP and Andrea Morland had staff meeting on 31st October.  On the same day there was engagement session with the stakeholders.  The session did not make conclusion and commitment was made by providers and commissioners that more information will be provided.  A meeting to undertake a formal Impact Assessment will be set in December this year.  All stakeholders will be invited to participate in Impact Assessment.  The Panel will receive the outcomes of the Impact Assessment in January 2012.

Bath Mind representative said that their main concern is that people who are diagnosed as significantly unwell would not be able to go to Hillview Lodge.

Jane Shayler commented that this issue will be part of the consideration in the Impact Assessment.

The Panel thanked the staff at Hillview Lodge for making them welcome during their site visit.

It was RESOLVED to note the update.

The Panel will receive an update on the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy in B&NES (February 2009) along with the dementia action plan.

The Panel is asked to note this update and consider when it would wish to receive a further update.

The Chairman invited Jane Shayler to introduce the report.

Jane Shayler took the Panel through the report.

It was RESOLVED to note the update and to receive a further update on one of the future meetings.

This briefing paper aims to update the Panel on the proposal to commission a West of England Home Improvement Agency (HIA) in partnership with South Gloucestershire, North Somerset & Bristol City Councils.  The project aims to provide improved value for money and an enhanced service for residents.

The Wellbeing Panel is asked to note and comment on the issues raised in this report

The Chairman invited Mr Philip Gait to read out his statement.

A full copy of the statement is available on the minute book in Democratic Services.

The Chairman invited Graham Sabourn (Associate Director for Housing Services) to introduce the report.

Graham Sabourn took the Panel through the report and highlighted the following points:

•  Increase in demand whilst the budget stayed the same

•  All information are available on website

•  Extensive consultation had been carried out although the service struggled to engage with clients that are house bound

•  Status quo is not an option. The Home Improvement Agency commissioning process aims to achieve better value for money both by undertaking joint procurement with neighbouring local authorities and from the organisation or organisations that are successful in securing the contract.

The Panel asked the following question and made the following points:

The Panel asked if Mendip Care & Repair had been precluded to make a bid.

Graham Sabourn responded that Mendip Care & Repair were not precluded at all. 

The Panel asked how many responses were received from users.

Graham Sabourn responded that in total 65 users responded, mostly from outside the district.  The service is now in the process of sending 200 letters to current clients.  Graham Sabourn also said that nobody yet knows how many people completed online survey so far.

The Panel asked about the range of services that the provider will be expected to offer to authorities, as described in the bullet point 4.7 of the report, and asked how those services are provided now.

Graham Sabourn responded that that those services are provided by number of organisations now.

The Panel asked if there was a concern that only one organisation would be expected to provide those services in near future.

Graham Sabourn responded that only one bidder had been registered and usually there is no much competition in this field.  Users do not have complaints about the locality of the provider.  We have to move from status quo.  Each Local Authority would present what they want from Home Improvement Agency and we would prepare individual agreement with the provider in order to protect ourselves (i.e. our requirements are different from Bristol requirements). 

Graham Sabourn said that Mendip Care & Repair has chance to bid again if they wish.  Bristol Care & repair might have the same concerns as others.  The Panel of 4 people from each Unitary Authority will decide on the outcome.

Graham Sabourn confirmed that the Home Improvement Agency will provide the same service to service users in all parts of Bath & North East Somerset, including those in more isolated rural areas.

It was RESOLVED to note the report and for the officers to take on board comments made in the debate.

The Panel will receive an update on the transfer of Community Health & Social Care Services to Sirona Care & Health CIC (Community Interest Company).  A photographic record of key events in Sirona’s establishment will be circulated at the Panel meeting.

The Panel is asked to note this update and consider when it would wish to receive a progress report from Sirona Care & Health CIC.

The Chairman invited Jane Shayler to introduce the report.  Jane Shayler took the Panel through the report and circulated a photographic record of key events in Sirona’s establishment.

Jane Shayler also highlighted that Sirona had cross party support in the Council, clinical support and also the PCT support.

The Chairman said that he and some other Panel Members had a chance to visit some services within Sirona.  The Chairman said that services, such as Stroke Service, should promote themselves on how good they are (Stroke Services within top 20 nationally) for the benefit of residents.

It was RESOLVED to note the update.

The Panel are asked to consider a presentation from Dr Ian Orpen on Clinically Led Commissioning. 

The Chairman invited Dr Ian Orpen (Member of the Clinical Commissioning Group) to give a presentation.

Dr Ian Orpen highlighted the following points in his presentation named ‘B&NES Clinical Commissioning Group’:

•  Agenda (perspective, timescale, clustering, commissioning support, commissioning intentions)

•  The Health White Paper 2010

•  B&NES GP response

•  Who is in the Clinical Commissioning Group

•  The story so far

•  Authorisation timeline

•  What will Clinical Commissioning Group look like?

•  Commissioning Support

•  The financial challenge

•  Vision

•  Achieving the Vision

•  What will this mean?

•  NAPC Conference 2011 in Birmingham

A full copy of the presentation is available at minute book in Democratic Services.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the presentation.

This report presents the latest workplan for the Panel.

It was RESOLVED to note the workplan with the following additions:

·  High Dependency Unit (Hillview Lodge) Impact Assessment – January 2012

·  Further update on Dementia – date to be confirmed