Agenda and minutes

None.

Councillor PhodayJarjussey declared a personal interest in items 5 and 6 as he was a service user, and remained in the room during the consideration thereof.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2011 be agreed as a correct record.

To confirm that all items marked Part 1 will be considered in public and that any items marked Part 2 will be considered in private

RESOLVED:  That all items of business be considered in public.

Committee. Ms Mindel updated the Committee of the proposed Consultant Led Community Ophthalmology Service to be commissioned by NHS Hillingdon and the Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group (HCCG).

Members asked Ms Mindel if the changes would affect appointments for consultant referrals at Hillingdon Hospital.  Ms Mindel confirmed that this service was separate from any services provided at Hillingdon Hospital.  She confirmed that the Community Service will deal with more minor eye conditions therefore easing capacity constraints on currently very busy services at Hillingdon.

Members and Ms Mindel discussed the option of mobile units in the Borough. It was open to tender providers on how they wished to provide the service in the community, and confirmed that whilst a preference would be for static sites, usage of mobile units was not excluded.  Ms Mindel confirmed that the service specification detailed that the service had to be run from DDA compliant premises, and if a mobile unit could provide this then this would not be ruled out.

The Chairman thanked Ms Mindel for her report to Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Bob Castalijn, Transport and Aviation Team, spoke on behalf of the Council and gave Committee an update on the last year. Mr Castalijn stated that it was an important year as the Mayor’s transport policy had been adopted.

The Hillingdon Local Implementation plan submitted specified safety and security objectives. Hillingdon was on target to reduce the accident rate. The Local Implementation Plan had identified a series of action plans for the Borough,

In the last year the Council had worked closely with the British Motorway and Transport for London (TfL) to improve road quality in the Borough.

There was an on-going travel plan rolling programme and regular Steering Group meetings.

The Council had worked with TfL to select a number of sites for bus stops in the Borough. In the future they would be working towards each bus stop having a number to phone which would inform travellers when buses would be arriving at each stop.

The services for the U4 and 222 bus routes would be up for re-tendering later this year.

Brunel University had completed its first stage of bus travel looking at safety.

Mr Ed Shaylor, Community Safety, spoke to the Committee about safer schools. At the beginning of the school term there was a lot of media around the MET’s work with regard to this. The route to and from school was often raised by the Youth Council. 

Mr Shaylor stated that no disability crimes had been reported on any transport issues. He also informed Members that ultra violet scanners for police cars had been authorised by Councillor Douglas Mills (Cabinet Member for Improvements, Partnerships and Community Safety) and these should be issued soon.

Safer Transport Team, MET

Inspector Steve Beattie spoke about the Safer Transport Team (STT) for Hillingdon, on behalf of the MET police. Inspector Beattie was in charge of the STT, which was 90% funded by TfL. He was responsible for the STT’s in Harrow and Hillingdon.

The STT consisted of a number of sergeants, police officers, community support officers and special constables. It was anticipated that in 2012 the number of police officers would increase in the team and the number of community support officers would decrease. There was a new model for safer transport in London.

Since the meeting last year there had been a massive decrease in crime on the bus network in Hillingdon. Around a 7% reduction, in comparison to the London overall average of a 4% reduction.

Figures showed that this year in North West London there was an overall 14% reduction in bus related crimes, for Hillingdon this figure was a 19% reduction on reported bus related crimes. This is an improved figure on last year.

Other figures showed a 4.2% reduction in robberies on the bus network in Hillingdon.

Inspector Beattie explained how a big part of the role of the STT was enforcement, along with fear of crime and engagement. The STT worked closely with the Council, in particular in partnership with officers in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Mr Thomas Pharaoh, London Health Programme, gave the Committee a presentation on the proposed implementation of the cancer model of care. The organisation was formerly known as Commissioning Support for London and they were an NHS organisation who were funded by the 31 PCT’s, who commission them to work on their behalf.

Mr Pharaoh gave a presentation to Committee which gave details of developing the model of care, the case for change, the model of care, early diagnosis, integrated cancer systems and the next steps.

There was clear support for the proposal: a 3 month engagement process had been carried out on proposals. This included a visit to Hillingdon’s External Services Scrutiny Committee. The case for change looked at what was wrong with cancer services in London and the follow up document looked at what should happen to improve this. The three areas of work looked into were early diagnosis; common cancers and general care; rarer cancers and specialist care.

There were a lot of inequalities in access to treatment in London. Some treatment was too centralised and could be delivered in local surgeries not just in specialist surgeries. Public awareness needed to improve and the uptake of screening.

Plans were not advanced to know local implications, an update would be provided once more information had been agreed.

Members asked Mr Pharaoh how the Borough’s hospitals, Hillingdon Hospital and Mount Vernon would be involved in the model. Mr Pharaoh explained that as Mount Vernon was not a London hospital they could not compel it. It would still be involved in the work of the crescent but it was not a hospital choice they would be using. Members showed some concern that residents would not being getting the same access to Mount Vernon with the changes that were being proposed.

Dr Ellis Friedman, Joint Director of Public Health, explained that there was a lot of usage of Mount Vernon and although it was not a London hospital it was still located in the Borough. Mount Vernon would be continuing to receive support and there was work going on with the hospital to involve it in any future changes to cancer care. He was ensured that there was close working so that there would not be any disruption to services. Dr Friedman gave reassurance that it should not affect patient flow to Mount Vernon and Hillingdon Hospital. He stated that Hillingdon Hospital itself did not offer as much in terms of specialist cancer services.

Members stressed the importance to get absolute clarity on the issue regarding any impact the model could have on residents accessing Mount Vernon. Mr Pharaoh assured Members that Mount Vernon was still very much part of the system and would not be excluded.

Members discussed early diagnosis. This was an issue across London and the UK. The UK had later diagnosis in comparison to Europe and the USA. This could be down to a number of factors, including lifestyle, screening invites, out  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

To follow

Mr Trevor Begg, Chairman of the Hillingdon LINk (Local Involvement Network), advised that Iain Diamant had formerly stepped down as the LINk chair due to health reasons. Mr Begg had stepped in as the interim chair.

Mr Kevin Byrne, Head of Policy & Performance, commented that LINks were on course, they were sitting down discussing and looking towards the path to Healthwatch. The clock was ticking. A plan needed to be developed and this plan would be right for Hillingdon. They would be looking at a new board and the right structure and delivery vehicle. Mr Byrne reassured the Committee that the Council was working very closely with the LINk board.

The Committee requested that a further update be provided on the development of Healthwatch and that Ann Rainsbury be invited to the October Committee meeting.

The Chairman thanked Mr Begg for the update to Committee.

RESOLVED:  That:

1.      the presentation be noted; and

2.      Committee requested a further update early 2011 on the developments.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work programme for 2011/2012 and the Re-offending Working Group.

Members wished to have an update from Dental Services as there were budget issues for considerations. Democratic Services would invite a representative to the Committee meeting in October.

Members also asked that at the January Committee meeting they be given an update on the development of Healthwatch and representatives from LINk be invited.

The Re-offending Working Group was discussed. The Conservative Members were agreed for the Working Group and Labour Members were still outstanding. Dates for the meetings for the Working Group would be agreed with the Chairman and Democratic Services.

RESOLVED:  That:

1. the report be noted;
2. Dental Services to be invited to 26 October 2012 meeting;
3. LINks/Healthwatch update be added to the work programme for the meeting on 11 January 2012;
4. Labour Members for the Re-offending Working Group to be agreed and the meeting dates to be agreed.