Agenda item

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Committee and made the following announcements:-

i)          Membership

Following the recent elections and the subsequent annual meeting at the City of Lincoln Council, which took place on 17 May 2016, the Chairman confirmed that Councillor Jackie Kirk would continue on the Committee as the City of Lincoln representative.  Councillor Jane Loffhagen had been appointed as a substitute member for Councillor Kirk.

ii)         Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) – Care Quality Commission (CQC) Report

On 21 April 2016, the Care Quality Commission published its report on Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.  The overall finding from the CQC was that the Trust 'required improvement'.  The CQC's report would be considered at Agenda Item 6 together with an initial response from LPFT.

iii)       East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) – Care Quality Commission Inspection

On 10 May 2016, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its report on the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).  The overall finding from the CQC was that EMAS 'required improvement'.  As the report was published on the same day as the Committee's agenda was issued, the Chairman advised that the report from EMAS at Agenda Item 5 did not reflect the CQCs findings.

The CQC found that EMAS was 'inadequate' for safety, stating that there were "insufficient staff numbers of appropriately trained staff with the necessary skill-mix" and "excessively long handover times at some acute hospitals were exacerbating the trust's resource ability".  As part of its initial response, EMAS stated that the 22 clinical commissioning groups within the region, who commissioned the service, acknowledged that EMAS would not be able to meet the national performance standards with its current level of funding (£152.5 million).  This would also leave a deficit of around £12 million at the end of 2016/17.  EMAS stated that an independent Strategic Demand, Capacity and Price Review would be held to consider the level of staff and vehicles required.  The Clinical Commissioning Groups were committed to this review.

On a positive note, several examples of outstanding practice in Lincolnshire were highlighted in the report.  These included the mental health fast response vehicle; mental health triage care; and the Joint Ambulance Conveyance Project with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

Although EMAS Improvements and Performance was to be considered at Agenda Item 5, the Chairman advised the Committee that focus would not be on the content of the CQC report, however some of the issues included within that report such as ambulance response times and handover delays at hospitals would be discussed.  The focus would also be on Lincolnshire rather than region-wide.

iv)       East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) -  Regional Scrutiny Activity

It was reported that eleven health overview and scrutiny committee covered the EMAS region and that colleagues in other local authorities within the region had started to explore the possibility of a joint session.  This would involve the Chairman from each of the eleven committees and would focus on EMAS's response to the CQC report.

In addition to representatives from EMAS, the meeting would also include a representative from the Hardwick Clinical Commissioning Group which was the lead CCG across the region for EMAS commissioning.  The meeting was expected to take place on either 6 or 7 July 2016, following which the intention would be that the individual health overview and scrutiny committees would then pursue the matter further.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire had a long tradition of engagement with the Lincolnshire Division of EMAS and would like that engagement to continue.

v)         Community Pharmacy Provision – Health and Wellbeing Board Informal Session

On 3 May 2016, the Chairman attended an informal session of the Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board which focused on community pharmacy provision.  The Vice-Chairman, Councillor C J T H Brewis, and Councillor Mrs J M Renshaw also attended.

The session focused on three elements:  existing community pharmacy provision in Lincolnshire; the complex regulations applied to the opening of pharmacies; and the Government's consultation on Community Pharmacy 2016/17 and Beyond.

vi)       Community Pharmacy in 2016/17 and Beyond – Letter to Secretary of State

In accordance with Minute 108, on page 21 of the Agenda Pack, the Chairman had written to the Secretary of State outlining the Committee's position on the proposed reductions in funding of community pharmacies as part of the national drug tariff arrangements.  The letter was copied to the seven Members of Parliament in Lincolnshire.

The Committee had been emailed details of the online petition on the Parliament website where there were currently just over 61,300 signatures.  In order for a petition to be considered for a debate in Parliament, the Committee was advised that 100,000 signatures were required, the deadline for which was 29 June 2016.  The petition could be found at:- https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/116943

vii)      Marie Curie Quality Account

At the last meeting, the Committee considered a request from Marie Curie for a statement on their draft Quality Account.  It was agreed to look at the document before making a judgement.  The Chairman confirmed that the draft Quality Account from Marie Curie had been received and that the Members of the Quality Accounts Working Group had considered this and agreed that a draft statement could be prepared.

viii)     Quality Accounts Working Group

Two meetings of the Quality Accounts Working Group had been held since the last meeting of the Committee.  These took place on 26 April and 3 May 2016.  The Chairman confirmed that Statements had now been completed for five providers.  A further meeting had been arranged for 14 June 2016 where it was intended to consider the draft Quality Account Statement for United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT).

The Chairman gave formal thanks to the members of the Quality Accounts Working Group for their work and commitment to the process.

ix)       Dementia Awareness Week

The Committee had been sent an email regarding Dementia Awareness week which began on Monday 16 May 2016.  Several events were to take place throughout Lincolnshire during the week and the 1940s themed kitchen pod at Pilgrim Hospital be highlighted.

x)         Background Training on Mental Health

On 15 June 2016 at 2.00pm, the Committee would receive training on the background to services and treatment for mental health from Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.