Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Teji Barnes.  Councillor Ian Edwards would attend the meeting as her substitute.

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

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 30 October 2018.  A number of small typographical errors were identified and amended.  In addition, it was agreed that the following amendments be made:

1.    Minute Number 26, Paragraph 3: The sentence beginning “The first that Ms Byrne had known…” be changed to “Ms Byrne stated that the first that she had known…”.

2.    Minute Number 26, Paragraph 5: The final sentence be amended from “…noted that Ms Byrne did attend ENH Board meetings…” to “…noted that Ms Byrne did attend Heads of Department meetings with a standing item on fundraising for services…”.

RESOLVED:  That, subject to the above amendments, the minutes of the meeting be agreed as a correct record. 

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting. 

Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (RBH)

Mr Nick Hunt, Director of Service Development at RBH, noted that the Trust’s Clinical Quality Report Month 5 2018/19, which was considered by the RBH Board on 26 September 2018, had been circulated to Members before the meeting.  He noted that the CQC had undertaken a spot inspection where the focus at Harefield Hospital had been on surgery.  There was a possibility that the Hospital could receive an ‘Outstanding’ rating.

With regard to the relocation of the Royal Brompton Hospital to a new site, work was ongoing with Kings Health Partners. 

Mr Hunt advised that he had joined the Hillingdon Transformation Board as a result of Harefield Hospital’s role on the possible development of a new acute hospital and medical training courses at Brunel University.  He noted that Brunel University owned a large amount of land which was officially greenbelt but which had formerly been a nursery and market garden.  As a result, there were asbestos lined pipes still in situ that had been used for the greenhouses.  It was clear that Hillingdon Hospital needed a new building and concerns had been expressed regarding the longevity of the existing building.  Lord O’Shaughnessy, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, Sir Robert Naylor, who had undertaken a review of NHS property and estates, and various politicians had expressed their support for a new hospital development on the Brunel land. 

If the project was to go ahead, it was likely that Harefield Hospital would transfer in its entirety, thus releasing 45 acres of greenbelt land in Harefield.  This move would mean that Harefield’s iconic heart transplant service would be co-located with Hillingdon Hospital, offering significant pathway synergies.  Consideration was also being given to the use of technology to support resources such as remote access clinics.  If the project went ahead, the aim would be develop a completely digitally supported building.  It was thought that the commissioners were very excited by the proposals. 

Members were aware that there had been noises made about the need for a new hospital for some time.  It was agreed that the project needed to be driven forward within a reasonable timescale.  Although there had been a proposal for a land swap between Harefield Hospital and Brunel University, it was unclear how far this suggestion had progressed. 

The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (LAS)

Ms Natasha Wills, Assistant Director of Operations North West at LAS, apologised for Mr Ian Johns not attending the last health update meeting on 10 July 2018.  She noted that the LAS had moved to Ambulance Response Programme (ARP) performance measurements. 

With regard to the recruitment and retention of staff in the call centre, the LAS had been bound by a national pay agreement which had not aligned with the other emergency services.  This pay agreement had now been renegotiated and aligned with the other services and this had helped to improve recruitment.  It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s Work Programme.  The Chairman noted that a lot of feedback had been received following the last meeting where Members looked at the provision on inpatient hospice services in the North of the Borough.  It had been resolved that the Democratic Services Manager investigate the possibility of referring East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust’s (ENH’s) lack of consultation and/or notification to the Secretary of State.  After seeking legal advice, it would appear that this course of action was not as straight forward as it might first have seemed.  As such, it was agreed that, rather than fitting the Committee’s action into the legislation, a letter be sent to the Secretary of State (copying in the Permanent Secretary) setting out what had happened.  The letter would also set out an alternative method for referrals.  Action would also be taken to draft a scrutiny protocol. 

Insofar as the closure of the Michael Sobell Hospice was concerned, the Committee was keen to continue to gather information about what had actually happened as it still was not clear.  It was also noted that there was no contract between ENH and The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with regard to leasing building on the Mount Vernon Hospital site. 

The Committee agreed that they were keen to ensure that an inpatient hospice provision was reinstated as soon as possible for a period of time.  It was appreciated that there may be a new model of provision for the future. 

Mr Hawkes commended the Committee on its scrutiny of the closure of the inpatient unit at Michael Sobell Hospice at the last meeting where it appeared that Members had undertaken a lot of preparation.  Although feelings were currently running high, it would be important to establish where the money raised by Michael Sobell Hospice Charity was going to be spent if it would no longer be contributing more than £800k to pay for NHS staff.  Furthermore, the Committee would need to establish where any shortfall would come from to pay for the service and what would the service actually look like once reinstated. 

It was agreed that the crime and disorder meeting on 12 February 2019 would look at youth violence, shootings, knife crime and drug networks as well as any preventative action taken in relation to these crimes.  The Committee also agreed that it would look at post office services at its meeting on 13 March 2019.

RESOLVED:  That:

1.    a letter be sent to the Secretary of State for Health;

2.    a scrutiny protocol be drafted for the Committee;

3.    the meeting on 12 February 2019 look at youth violence, shootings, knife crime and drug networks as well as any preventative action;

4.    the meeting on 13 March 2019 look at post office services; and

5.    the Work Programme be noted.