Agenda item

Scrutiny Committee Work Programmes

(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 and in accordance with the Board's agreed programme)

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report by the Chairman of the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, which provided an update on the work carried out by the Committee.

 

It was noted that there had been one change to the printed work programme - the recommissioning of the Carers Support Service was now expected on 1 December, with an Executive Councillor decision shortly afterwards. 

 

A one hour training session for Committee members on the Care Act had been scheduled for 20 October, at the conclusion of the Committee's formal meeting. 

 

The Board was advised that on 7 September 2021, the government published 'Build Back Better – Our Plan for Health and Social Care'.  In addition to funding for the NHS to reduce its waiting list, this document included a number of proposals for adult social care. More would be reported to the Committee once they had been published.

 

The Committee had also agreed to set up a working group to look into high levels of sugar consumption and the impact this had on the health and obesity rates in adults. 

 

Members were invited to ask questions, in which the following points were noted:

 

·         It was suggested that the working group could also work with children's service on the impact on sugar consumption in children and how this then led to health issues as adults.

·         The Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee worked to identify key areas which were causing concerns in relation to death and ill health rates in adults.

·         Reducing the number of people who smoked within the county was led by One You Lincolnshire who were proactive in promoting their support for the topic. One You Lincolnshire provided regular updates to the Committee.

 

Consideration was then given to a report from the Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire which provided an update on the work of the Committee.

 

The Board was advised that the local NHS was due to launch its consultation on the Lincolnshire Acute Services review, which proposed major changes to four service areas. These four services were:

·         the development of a centre of excellence for Orthopaedic Surgery;

·         the development of a centre of excellence for Stroke Services;

·         an urgent treatment centre at Grantham Hospital, in place of the current A&E department; and

·         the introduction of community as well as acute medical beds at Grantham. 

 

As a key role for the Committee was responding to NHS consultations, the consultation would form a major element of the Committee's work programme over the coming four months. The Committee would also get the benefit of feedback to the consultation, meaning that the Committee planned to finalise its response on 19 January. The Committee would also be asked on 13 October to establish one or more working groups to consider the detail of each of the four proposals and their rationale. 

 

The Board was also advised that there was an important item on GP services scheduled for the meeting on 13 October, where in addition to the Medical Director of the Lincolnshire Local Medical Committee, the Committee was planning to receive a report on how the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) managed and supported GP practices. 

 

 

Other changes to the work programmes included rescheduling dental services and nuclear medicine to 10 November, and Continuing Health Care and the East Midlands Ambulance Service from 10 November to 15 December. 

 

Members were invited to ask questions, in which the following points were noted:

·         The Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire shared the disappointment of some Members on the decision not to fully re-open A&E at Grantham Hospital. The Committee would have the opportunity to review decisions and build in the views of residents in the consultation. It was noted that there was the possibility of obtaining capital grants and it was hopeful that there would be some reconfiguration of the hospital site in future, including the possibility of a new hospital.

·         The Board emphasised the importance of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) to ensure that residents' voices were being heard. It was suggested liaising with Lincolnshire CCG to encourage GP surgeries to advertise and get participants.

·         The Committee received regular updates on the impact of Covid-19 on the NHS, including a backlog of other services. Cancer Care had been impacted significantly and the Committee was working with NHS colleagues to push for improvements wherever possible. The Committee would not consider individual cases but would investigate if there was a trend in a certain area.

·         It was suggested that the Committee investigate the PPG system to see if was fit for purpose or could better link information as currently PPGs only benchmarked against their own information rather than against other GPs within or outside of their GP group.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Board's satisfaction be recorded with the activity undertaken since June 2021 by:

 

            (a) the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee; and

            (b) the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire.

 

 That the Board's satisfaction be recorded with the planned work programme of:

 

            (a) the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee; and

            (b) the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire.

 

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