Agenda and minutes

The Chairman advised everyone present of the action to be taken in the event of fire or other event that would cause the meeting room to be evacuated.

The Chairman explained that this was a special meeting of the Committee that had been called to allow further scrutiny of the proposals to change maternity services across the sector.

Apologies were received from Councillor Sanchia Alasia (Barking & Dagenham) and from Councillors Khevyn Limbajee and Sheree Rackham (Waltham Forest).

Apologies were also received from Med Buck, Havering LINk (Roxanne Chamberlain substituting).

Apologies were also received from Joy Hollister, Group Director – Adults & Health, London Borough of Havering and from John Powell, Director of Social Services, London Borough of Redbridge.

Christine Pryor, Divisional Director – Targeted Support for Children’s Services, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham was present.

Cathy Turland, Manager, Redbridge Link was also present.

Health officers present:

Helen Brown, Director of Transition, Health for North East London (H4NEL)

Geoff Sanford, Assistant Director – Strategic Change, H4NEL

Dawn Johnston, Director of Nursing Midwifery and Governance, Barts Health

Joan Douglas, Head of Midwifery, Homerton Hospital

Wendy Matthews, Director of Midwifery, Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT)

Nicole Millane, Communications, H4NEL

Ilse Mogensen, H4NEL

Mark Graver, Barts Health

Scrutiny officers present:

Glen Oldfield, Barking & Dagenham

Anthony Clements, Havering (Clerk to the Committee)

Jilly Mushington, Redbridge

Corrina Young, Waltham Forest

There were no disclosures of interest.

Presentation from and discussion with health officers on the following items concerning maternity services:

·      Demand and capacity levels, Capital investment, Impact on Essex births

·      Service quality, Workforce strategy, BHRUT gateway review process

Health officers gave an overview of the decision making process regarding the maternity proposals and clarified that the final decision on the proposals, including to close maternity at King George, would be taken at a meeting of the NHS North East London and the City board to be held on 7 March 2013. If approved, it was expected that closure of the maternity unit at King George would take place in the week of 19 March.

External assurance processes had been carried out on the proposals and NHS London had also reviewed the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report on maternity at Queen’s. Officers explained that, with recent expansion of capacity at Homerton and Newham hospitals, a reduction had been recorded in the numbers of births booked at BHRUT. Assumptions made about the choices women would make as regards their hospital of choice had been broadly correct and it was felt that this reduction of births seen at BHRUT would allow the closure of maternity at King George.    

The maternity capacity at Queen’s Hospital was planned to be 8,000 per year or an average of 22 deliveries per day. It was anticipated that 20-25% of deliveries would be by caesarean section, 10.-20% would use the new Queen’s birthing centre and 55-70% would take place on the main labour ward. Officers were confident that 8,000 births could be undertaken safely at Queen’s. There had been a steady increase in the number of women using the Queen’s birthing centre. This was expected to see 18 deliveries per week by April and 25 births per week by July 2013. 

It was expected that Queen’s as a whole would see 7,500-7,800 births per year in 2013/14 including approximately 250 births from Essex. Essex commissioners wished to increase this figure to 4-500. It was also anticipated that up to 1,200 births per year from Barking & Dagenham and Redbridge would now take place in Newham and Whipps Cross.

Newham Hospital currently had capacity for 7,300 births per annum, 20% of which were carried out at the hospital’s midwife led unit. Officers felt that the hospital did therefore have the capacity to cope with future scrutiny. Whipps Cross would see approximately 5,700 deliveries in 2013/14 and bookings would be closely monitored to ensure this was kept to. The phase 2 development would see capacity rise to 6,000 births while a capacity of 8,000 births would be available following the phase 3 development although this would not be completed for 2-3 years.

Any rise in population from young families moving into the Olympic Park would be covered by maternity units at Homerton, Newham and Whipps Cross. Population estimates were monitored and assumptions had been based on higher estimates of birth numbers than the GLA forecasts. Planning was also undertaken to cope with predicted spikes in demand for maternity services such as that due to the Olympic Games held in London.

A Member pointed out that many Essex residents also used Whipps Cross Hospital. A representative of Barts  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.