Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Wallasey Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Patrick Sebastian  0151 691 8424

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Items
No. Item

25.

Chair's Introduction

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Prior to the commencement of business, the Chair informed the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, visiting Members of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Officers and members of the public on the reason for the meeting and how the business would be conducted. The Chair further informed that a series of speakers would be given set amounts of time to present information and evidence on the subject of the Urgent Care Transformation proposals and consultation, witness statements taken, and time allowed for questions and responses.

 

A number of visiting Councillors questioned their voting rights in relation to the meeting’s business, and the Chair advised those present that in line with governance, law and practice the meeting was that of the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the invited members of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be given ample opportunity to question and speak on the matter under consideration but ‘attending’ councillors would have no voting rights.

 

This was confirmed by the Council’s solicitor, who informed that this was a meeting of, or more accurately a coming together of, two committees to discuss a matter in which they have a common interest.

26.

Apologies for Absence

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Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received.

27.

Members' Code of Conduct - Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or any other relevant interest in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

 

Members are reminded that they should also declare whether they are subject to a party whip in connection with any item(s) to be considered and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of the whipping arrangement.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Christina Muspratt

Personal interest by virtue of her daughter’s employment within the NHS.

Councillor Sharon Jones

Personal interest by virtue of her employment within the NHS.

Councillor Joe Walsh

Personal interest by virtue of his daughter’s employment within the NHS.

Councillor Tony Norbury

Personal interest by virtue of his daughter’s employment within Adult Social Services.

Councillor Phil Gilchrist

Personal interest by virtue of his role as a Governor appointed to the Cheshire and Wirral NHS Partnership Trust.

Councillor Mary Jordan

Personal – by virtue of employment within the NHS; and involvement in Incubabies, a charity raising funds for the neonatal unit at Arrowe Park; and her son’s employment within the NHS.

 

Individual Officers and Witnesses, either employed by the NHS and/or Clinical Commissioning Group provided personal declarations in relation to their employment or family member’s associations to the NHS, CCG or partner organisations prior to presenting their reports and evidence.

28.

Urgent Care Review pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Further to the meeting of the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee 12 September 2018 (Minute 20(2) refers), the Adult Health and Care and the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committees are to consider the Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group proposals for Urgent Care Services.

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Minutes:

The Chair invited Dr Paula Cowan, Medical Director Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group and Eastham GP and Jacqui Evans, Assistant Director Unplanned Care and Community Care Market Commissioning to provide an overview of the Urgent Care Consultation.

 

Dr Cowan explained that the meeting would provide an opportunity for interested parties to receive an update on progress so far, key messages and the consultation as it stood at this moment in time. She hoped that the meeting would also inform Councillors, and dispel some of the myths being propagated in social media and the press.

 

Assistant Director Unplanned Care and Community Care Market Commissioning introduced a presentation that set out the background to the Urgent Care Review and methodology of the consultation process. She informed the Committee of the key messages and proposals to help alleviate pressures on the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Service at Arrowe Park and provide a better patient experience both for A&E users, Urgent Care Treatments, and generally to help provide a consistent offer of access to NHS treatment across Wirral utilising a GP led service.

 

Ms Evans explained how the key drivers for change included pressures on A&E, leading to unacceptable waiting times, and the need to re-configure services as detailed in the consultation options, taking into account locality demographics and needs.

 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committees were apprised that one of the common themes from the CCG’s engagement activities since 2009 was the view that people were confused about the range of urgent care services available due to different service offerings and opening times - further explored during focus groups and visits to urgent care venues completed in February 2018. It was highlighted that people could not always obtain an urgent appointment at their own GP practice and this, combined with the confusion about alternative services, resulted in many people choosing to attend Wirral’s only A&E Department at Arrowe Park. Members were informed that Wirral was not unique in facing these issues and NHS England had mandated a number of new service developments which included an improved NHS 111 service and the introduction of Urgent Treatment Centre’s across the country.

 

Ms Evans’ presentation provided further information on a wide range of issues that included:

 

·  NHS change assurance and scrutiny of work to date;

·  Internal Governance arrangements, providing oversight and information on progress;

·  Independent review and EIA (equality impact assessment); and

·  Meaningful consultation utilising workshops, online consultation survey, public meetings, postcard drops and information posters in GP surgeries.

 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committees were also provided an update on how additional independent challenge had been embedded in the process recognising points of view and comments from Healthwatch Wirral, Medical Professionals and Workforce including GP Federations.

 

A broad selection of statistical evidence underpinning the consultation was provided to Members as part of the presentation and associated agenda papers.

 

The Chair invited questions from both Overview and Scrutiny Committees. Points raised included:

 

·  Possible issues faced through the implementation of a GP led service, given recent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

29.

Any Other Business

To consider any other items of business that the Chair accepts as being urgent.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No other business considered.