Agenda and minutes

The Chairman gave details of the action to be taken in case of fire or other event that would cause the evacuation of the meeting room.

Apologies were received from Councillor Fred Osborne, Councillor Lynden Thorpe substituting.

Members are invited to disclose any interests in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. Members may still disclose an interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

Councillor Binion declared an interest as a family member was on the Board of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 2013 (attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman explained that Members had recently visited South Hornchurch Clinic and were disappointed to note that a number of areas that could be used for clinical purposes were in fact being used as offices and other administrative areas.

Members had also recently visited the new Sunflowers chemotherapy unit at Queen’s Hospital and the Chairman recorded her congratulations to BHRUT staff on developing this new facility.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman had also recently met with the Chief Operating Officer of Havering Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and discussed a number of issues including the condition of the estate at Victoria Hospital in Romford. These buildings were now under the control of NHS Property Services (formerly Propco) and it had been confirmed that crittal windows on the site would be replaced as well as other maintenance work including resurfacing of the car park.

The CCG planned to operate more services in the community as well as introduce more integrated care involving GPs, community nurses, consultants and other care professionals. The Chief Operating Officer had also confirmed he would investigate the underuse of facilities such as South Hornchurch Clinic.

Discussions with the CCG Chief Operating Officer had also covered the lack of a GP for walk-in patients at Harold Wood Polyclinic and reports that walk-in patients needing to see a doctor were being requested to attend Loxford Polyclinic instead.

It was AGREED that minutes of recent meetings of the CCG Board should be put on the agenda for future meetings of the Committee, for Members’ information.  

To receive an update on current issues effecting the Hospitals Trust from the Director of Planning and Performance, BHRUT.

The Director of Planning and Performance at BHRUT explained that the Trust had admitted liability and apologised to the patient’s family following the recent highly publicised case of a woman who had died during an operation to remove her appendix. The Trust had implemented a 30-point plan in response to the incident which included having a named consultant and clinical lead for all in-patients, ensuring that only a consultant surgeon and anaesthetist were allowed to operate on pregnant women and using the World Health Organisation surgical safety checklist at all times. All abnormal test results were now reported immediately and steps had also been taken to support and develop clinical leadership in practice.

The current performance of the Emergency Department showed that the four hour target for completing treatment in the department was being met on 88.59% of occasions. This compared to a target of 95% and the Trust was on target deliver this figure by the end of August. It was also noted that there had been a rise in the number of more complex patients received in the department with 9% more ambulances now arriving at Queen’s.

The main reasons for breaches recorded in the four hour rule had been delays in assessments, bed waits and delays in specialised responses where e.g. consultants needed to carry out an assessment in the emergency department. A further report on Queen’s A&E was expected from the Care Quality Commission in July 2013. The Director of Planning and Performance recognised that the Trust had made improvements in the operation of A&E but also accepted that there remained a long way to go.

If patients were delayed in the Emergency Department for a long time, arrangements were now being put in place to ensure these patients received a hot meal. The Trust was also gradually implementing seven day working in order to improve patient flow. Senior consultant input on wards would be made available on a seven day basis in order to improve the continuity of care.

The Trust aimed to reduce the number of patients having to be referred via A&E and it was clarified that GPs could refer directly to the surgical assessment unit at Queen’s.

While A&E performance at King George Hospital was now operating ahead of target, Queen’s remained some way below target. It was noted that record attendance numbers had been seen at Queen’s A&E in the last few months but the Trust director felt that performance was gradually improving. The Rapid Assessment and Treatment (RAT-ing) system had now been extended in order to speed up the handover of patients from ambulances. The number of patients held in ambulances for more than an hour had reduced and the focus was now on those ambulance patients waiting in excess of 30 minutes. The Trust was also working with the London Ambulance Service to find out why more ambulances were arriving at Queen’s.

Discussions were also under way with Barts Health who managed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Minutes of Health and Wellbeing Board meeting of 8 May 2013 attached for information.

The Committee noted the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board and felt it was important that the Committee was aware of what the Board was working on. Members were pleased at the work to introduce discharge plans for people with learning disabilities.

To note the attached diagram giving details about how Health Service complaints in Havering should be deal with.

The Chairman thanked the Director of Public Health and her team for producing a diagram detailing where complaints about the various health services should be directed. This had been sent to all Councillors and the Chairman considered this a very useful document.

The Director of Public Health suggested that announcements could be made to Councillors when public health campaigns etc were being launched.

To approve the annual report of the Committee, 2012/13 (attached).

The Committee AGREED its annual report 2012/13 and that this should be referred to full Council.

Report attached.

It was AGREED that Councillors Pam Light, Wendy Brice-Thompson and Nic Dodin should be the Committee’s representatives on the Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

It was further AGREED that Councillor Light should be the Committee’s representative on any pan-London joint scrutiny work that may be needed during the year.

Report attached for discussion by the Committee.

In addition to the suggestions shown in the report before the Committee, it was AGREED that a standing joint topic group be set up with the Children and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise issues relating to Children’s Health. Councillor Light and Councillor Binion, as Chairmen of the two Committees, would meet informally to draw up a list of potential subjects for scrutiny. It was suggested that this could include health issues for children with special educational needs. Details of the topic group meetings would also be passed to Healthwatch Havering once these had been agreed.

It was agreed that representatives of NHS Property Services and the North East London Commissioning Support Unit be asked to address the Committee during the year on the roles of their respective organisations. It was also suggested that statistical and performance information from the CCG and local Health Trusts could be scrutinised by the Committee.

Members wished to scrutinise the plans for St. George’s Hospital but it was pointed out that regular updates to the Committee from the CCG had been scheduled which would also give an opportunity to scrutinise the latest position with St. George’s.

Other suggestions for the work programme included the treatment in hospital of people with learning disabilities, oral health and NHS dentistry (the responsibility of NHS England) and, for 2014/15, physical accessibility issues at Queen’s Hospital.

It was AGREED that the Committee Officer would circulate a revised version of the work programme for further discussion.

To consider any other item of which the Chairman is of the opinion, by means of special circumstances which shall be specified in the minutes, that the item shall be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.