Agenda item

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

i)             Congenital Heart Disease – Launch of Consultation

On 9 February 2017, NHS England launched the national consultation on Congenital Heart Disease services.  The consultation would continue through the local government purdah period to 5 June 2017.  The Chairman intended to discuss the arrangements for the Committee's response to the consultation as part of the Work Programme item.  The overall length of the NHS England consultation materials was in excess of 200 pages.

The Chairman also reported that the General Meeting of the East Midlands Councils was considering this item at its meeting on 15 February 2017 which included a recommendation that all health overview and scrutiny committees in the East Midlands also make a robust response to the consultation.

It was noted that only two health scrutiny committees in the East Midlands had not provided a response therefore it was important that there was a united voice on this issue across the region. 

The Chairman confirmed that no response had been received, from the Secretary of State for Health, to the letter asking why the Department had allowed a consultation during Purdah.

ii)            East Midlands Ambulance Service  - Care Quality Commission Inspection

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had undertaken an inspection of East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) in November 2015.  For three days from 21 February 2017, the CQC would carry out a follow-up inspection to review areas of concern identified during their last inspection.  The inspection would concentrate on those areas where the CQC had identified concerns including the Warning Notices, which had sought improvement in areas such as staff resourcing; response times; and hospital handover delays.

Progress with recommendations in the November 2015 CQC inspection was not covered in detail in the report at item 5 which would focus on response times in Lincolnshire.

iii)          Louth Ambulance and Fire Station

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and the East Midlands Ambulance Service had decided to share an operational base on Eastfield Road in Louth from August 2017.  A new ambulance and fire station would be located on the site of the existing fire station.  This was a good example of collaboration between two blue light services.

iv)          West Lindsey District Council Health Commission

The Chairman referred to a letter dated 26 January 2017, from Councillor Sheila Bibb, Chairman of West Lindsey District Council's Health Commission, and Manjeet Gill, Chief Executive of West Lindsey District Council.  The letter explained the role of the West Lindsey Health Commission.  The Chairman confirmed that the letter had been acknowledged and an explanation of the role of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire included.  This also emphasised the importance of each district council representative on the Committee.

v)            Referral to the Secretary of State – Grantham and District Hospital

On 10 February 2017, the Chairman wrote to the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health, to pursue a response to the Committee's referral in relation to Accident and Emergency Services at Grantham and District Hospital, which had been received by the Department of Health on 20 December 2016.  Whilst aware that the letter was under consideration by the Secretary of State and national organisations within the NHS, the Chairman remained disappointed that a written acknowledgement had not been received.

The Board of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust met on 7 February 2017 and agreed to extend the opening times of Grantham Accident and Emergency Department by one year, from 8.00am until 6.30pm rather than opening at 9.00am.  These arrangements would be reviewed in three months.

vi)          Clinical Commissioning Groups Council Meeting

On 1 February 2017, the Chairman attended the Clinical Commissioning Group Council Meeting to present information on how the County Council's revised overview and scrutiny arrangements would work in the new Council term.  The Health Scrutiny Officer also attended this meeting and was thanked by the Chairman for preparing the report presented to this meeting.

vii)         Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group

On 7 February 2017, the Chairman met with Richard Childs (Chairman); Dr Sunil Hindocha (Chief Clinical Officer); and Sarah Newton (Chief Operating Officer) of Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group.  On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman had written to Sarah Newton, prior to her imminent retirement, to thank her for her contributions to the Committee over the last few years.

viii)        Visit to Butterfly Hospice in Boston

On 9 February 2017, the Chairman visited Butterfly Hospice in Boston, which would be considered by the Committee at Item 6 of the agenda.  The Chairman was pleased to see how the six-bed inpatient facility was working and to form a view on the Hospice's plans for the future.

ix)          MRI Scanner – Stamford and Rutland Hospital

Further to the announcement made at the meeting of the Committee in January 2017, the Chairman reported that the first patients had been offered appointments for the new MRI scanner at Stamford and Rutland Hospital on Monday 6 February 2017.  Appointments were available every weekday from 7.30am to 8.00pm.  Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was preparing a briefing on this and other topics, such as progress on the merger with Hinchingbrooke Health Care, which would be circulated with the agenda for the March meeting.

x)            United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust – Five Year Strategy Working Group

On 24 January 2017, the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Five Year Strategy Working Group met and gave further consideration to the ULHT Five Year Strategy.

xi)          Delayed Transfers of Care Working Group

The Delayed Transfers of Care Working Group met on 2 February 2017.  After consideration of the information, the Working Group concluded that it would be best that this topic be considered in the new Council term.  The outcomes from the meeting had been recorded and circulated and the content would be considered as part of the work programme.