Agenda item

The Chairman thanked everyone for their messages of support during her period of absence.  The Chairman also expressed her thanks to Councillor C J T H Brewis, Vice Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire for chairing the last meeting.

Further to the announcement above, the Chairman welcomed everyone to the Committee and made the following announcements:-

i)             New Springwells GP Practice

The Committee was advised that the New Springwells GP Practice in Billingborough was the first GP practice in the County to have been given an outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission, who had published their inspection report on 25 February 2016.  The Committee was advised further that so far in Lincolnshire, 42 GP practices had received ratings under the CQC's revised rating system, introduced in October 2014.  It was reported that the new Springwells GP Practice, situated in the South West Lincolnshire CCG area, provided services for 6,200 patients.  The Chairman extended congratulations to the New Springwells Practice on achieving the outstanding rating and looked forward to other practices in Lincolnshire being awarded this rating.

ii)            Carholme Court, Long Leys Road, Lincoln

It was reported that Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was looking at options for developing a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at Carholme Court, which would be situated at the front of the St George's Hospital site on Long Leys Road, Lincoln.  The Trust was planning to hold a community information event for local residents on 30 March between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

The Chairman advised that a request would be made for volunteers to attend the event under the Work Programme item later on in the agenda.

It was also highlighted that a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) was a psychiatric inpatient ward, with higher staffing levels than on a normal acute ward.  The PICUs would provide more intensive support to patients with complex needs who could not be managed on open psychiatric wards.

The Committee noted that the planning application was for the Trust to extend the current building, to potentially provide a ten-bed unit on the existing site. 

iii)           Dean Fathers, Chairman of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

The Committee was advised that on 2 March 2016, the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust had announced the appointment of Dean Fathers as their new chairman.  Dean Fathers was chairman of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and would be continuing in his role there. 

It was highlighted that Dean Fathers was replacing Ron Buchanan, who was retiring at the end of February after two years with the Trust.  Dean had started his two year term of office on 5 March 2016, and was looking forward to working with staff, partners, patients and carers to make a positive difference.

The Chairman advised the committee, that she would try and arrange a meeting with the new Chairman, Dean Fathers.

iv)           Sue Noyes, Chief Executive, East Midlands Ambulance Service

The Committee was reminded that at the last meeting, it had been reported that Sue Noyes, the Chief Executive of the East Midlands Ambulance Service, would be leaving EMAS for personal family reasons in June 2016.  It was reported that due to personal circumstances, Sue would now be leaving EMAS on 17 March 2016.  The Committee extended their thanks to Sue for all her efforts over the last two and a half years; and the Chairman advised the Committee that she would be write to Sue to pass on the Committee's thanks.

The Committee was also advised that Pauline Tagg, the Chairman of EMAS, had started discussions with NHS Improvement about its future leadership arrangements.  In the meantime, Richard Henderson, the Director of Operations, would become the Acting Chief Executive.  It was highlighted that Richard Henderson had previously been the Divisional Manager in Lincolnshire.

v)            Community Pharmacies in Lincolnshire

The Chairman advised the Committee that on a recent visit to her local pharmacy, she had obtained a leaflet asking for support for community pharmacies and it was agreed that the Health Scrutiny Officer would provide the Committee with additional information after the meeting.

The Chairman advised further that it was reported that on 17 December 2015, the Department of Health and NHS England had announced a reduction in funding for community pharmacies in England of £170 million (from £2.8 billion to £2.63 billion) for 2016/17.  It was noted that the Department of Health and NHS England were consulting on how they were going to implement the budget reductions, with a view to any changes in service beginning from October 2016. 

The Committee noted that on 15 March 2016, it was reported that the Lincolnshire Pharmaceutical Committee had been concerned that the reductions would lead to people with minor illnesses accessing GP surgeries or hospitals, when they could receive advice from pharmacies.  It was highlighted that the reductions potentially could have a negative impact on the rest of the NHS.  

The Committee noted further that in November 2014, in its response to the Health and Wellbeing Board's consultation on the Lincolnshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment the Health Scrutiny Committee had emphasised the importance of community pharmacies, as a means of treating patients with minor ailments, and preventing their attendance at accident and emergency departments or GP surgeries. 

The Committee was advised that a national website (http://supportyourlocalpharmacy.org) operated by the National Pharmacy Association was urging members of the public to contact their local Members of Parliament to support local pharmacies.  

vi)          Accident and Emergency at Lincoln County Hospital

It was reported that there had been media reports of 'extreme pressures' on Accident and Emergency at Lincoln County Hospital, with one patient being quoted as saying she had had to wait up to eight hours for a paediatrician to see her six-week old baby; and patients suffering with minor ailments, including coughs and cold, were being urged to visit their local pharmacist, their GP, or to visit Lincoln's walk-in centre.

It was noted that pressure on Accident and Emergency departments was not unusual, however, this update and the previous item above relating to community pharmacies presented a worrying and contradictory picture.

It was agreed that this issue would be discussed further, as part of the work programme item later in the agenda.

vii)         House of Commons Library Brief Paper – Structure of the NHS in    England

The Committee was advised that a briefing paper had been prepared for the House of Commons Library, which had been published on 10 March 2016.  The briefing paper was entitled the Structure of the NHS in England, and the Chairman advised that the Health Scrutiny Officer would circulate an electronic copy to all members of the Committee, as a useful background document on how the NHS works.

viii)        Lynne Moody Director of Quality and Executive Nurse for South      Lincolnshire CCG

On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman extended thanks to Lynne Moody, the Director of Quality and Executive Nurse at South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, who was retiring at the end of the month.  It was highlighted that Lynne had undertaken the role as one of the Committee's special advisors since 2009, when she had been employed by Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust.  Lynne's help and advice had been invaluable, as she had enabled the Committee to ensure that its work programme had been properly focussed.  The Committee wished Lynne well in her retirement.  The Chairman confirmed that she would be writing formally to Lynne, on behalf of the Lincolnshire Health Scrutiny Committee after the meeting.