Agenda item

(To receive a report which sets out the work programmes of the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee and the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire in accordance with the Board's agreed programme)

The Board considered the work programmes of two scrutiny committees where the following points were noted:-

Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

Councillor C E H Marfleet, Chairman of the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, introduced the work programme and highlighted the following items which had been considered by the committee since the last report to the Board on 30 November 2017:-

·       Care Quality Commission Findings;

·       Performance Reporting;

·       Procurement and Pre-Decision Scrutiny – Local Stop Smoking Service; NHS Health Check Programme; and Shared Lives Services; and

·       Other Pre-Decision Scrutiny Items.

It was reported that the County Council was required to make procurement arrangements for a Healthwatch organisation and that a decision would be made on future procurement arrangements at the meeting of the committee on 30 May 2018.

It was proposed to hold a themed meeting on 4 July 2018 on the public health function with the community wellbeing element of the terms of reference.  Following consideration of the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health, and a presentation on the role of the Director of Public Health, an item was planned on Obesity and how lifestyle changes could improve outcomes.

In relation to the CQC findings noted on page 104 of the agenda pack, Councillor Marfleet explained that the CQC rating occasionally reflected the lack of facilities within residential and nursing homes rather than the service provided.  It was also stressed that Adult Care and Community Wellbeing staff continued to support learning and promote improvements in care homes.

There were no comments or questions from Members.

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

Councillor C S Macey, Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire, introduced the work programme and highlighted the areas which had been considered by the Committee since the last report to the Board:

·       Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP);

·       Grantham A&E – Overnight Closure;

·       Lincoln Walk-In Centre; and

·       Non-Emergency Patient Transport.

Paediatric Services would be added to the work programme for the Committee's consideration at its meeting on 16 May 2018.  On 27 April 2018, the Board of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) was to consider an item on Paediatric Services where it was expected that several options would be presented.  It was anticipated that the ULHT Board would suspend paediatric inpatient services at Pilgrim Hospital on a temporary basis due to the insufficient numbers of staff across ULHT to continue to support all existing paediatric services. 

The Committee continued to receive quarterly updates on the overall Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STP).  One significant concern of the Committee was that temporary changes to services on the grounds of patient safety (such as Grantham A&E previously and now paediatric services in Boston) would dictate the eventual content of the Lincolnshire STP consultation document.  The risk would be that the temporary changes could become the status quo and the starting point for any consultation.

The Committee had also focussed on four strands within the Lincolnshire STP – mental health; operational efficiency; the GP Forward View; and integrated neighbourhood working.  The Committee continued to be vigilant in terms of the impact of other STPs, for example the Humber Acute Services Review was considering services in Grimsby, which were used by many residents in Louth, Mablethorpe and surrounding areas.

Monitoring of non-emergency patient transport would also continue and was scheduled on the work programme for regular updates.  Councillor Macey advised that the Committee would receive the next update at its meeting in June 2018 and not July 2018, as listed on page 110 of the agenda pack.

During discussion, the following points were noted:-

·       Representatives of Thames Ambulance Service Ltd (TASL) had presented at the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire in December 2017 but their presentation had been both rude and unhelpful which resulted in the Committee recording a vote of no confidence in TASL.  Since that meeting, the senior management of TASL had been replaced and TASL had been given more support by its parent company who were now actively involved working to rectify their mistakes.  Having lost 50 volunteer car drivers, 25 had, so far, returned following the changes.  In relation to North Lincolnshire, where TASL had been given twelve months' notice of the termination of the contract, there would be no change in service during this time and TASL might be invited to make a bid for the new contract;

·       On behalf of himself and other Grantham councillors, Councillor R Wootten thanked the Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire for allowing them, and campaign groups, opportunities to address the Committee;

·       Councillor Macey was asked, in his position as Chairman of the Committee, to apply as much pressure as possible to ULHT to consult with the people of Grantham on future healthcare in that area.  It was reported that the referral to the Secretary of State for Health and Care on the continued overnight closure of Grantham A&E included reference to the Committeee's desire that the Trust undertake a consultation as soon as possible;

At 1.00pm, Councillor R L Foulkes left the meeting and did not return.

·       The Acute Services Review was ongoing and until that was complete  there was unlikely to be any change to the position in Grantham;

·       Proposals for between five and seven Urgent Treatment Centres in Lincolnshire, following the national initiative from NHS England, remained unclear, but treatment centres would be expected to offer services currently available in an A&E environment;

·       Two working groups had been established to consider United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Financial Special Measures; and STP Operational Efficiency; and

·       Councillors R Wootten and M A Whittington confirmed that they would be attending the ULHT Board meeting on 27 April 2018.

The Chairman thanked Councillors Marfleet and Macey for the updates.

At 1.05pm, Councillors N H Pepper, B E W Strengiel, C E H Marfleet and B Young left the meeting and did not return.