·  Merseyside Police/Community Safety

·  Fire Service

·  Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

·  NHS Wirral

·  Older Peoples Parliament

Community Safety

Ian Lowrie informed the forum that there was a detailed update on pages 17 - 19 of the Community Engagement Report, and highlighted the following:

• There has been a 75% drop in the annual number of thefts from vehicles
• The domestic burglary performance has remained consistent
• The LAA targets for domestic violence have been met through the dedication of / working with partner agencies
• Anti Social Behaviour Advice Surgeries have been set up, involving taking the Respect Bus into communities giving advice and taking complaints directly from the public

He added that the Respect Bus was at the meeting, and encouraged everyone to visit this at the end of the meeting.

The Chair thanked Ian Lowrie for his update and the following questions / issues were raised;

1.  Philip Barton – when will the schedule 1 vehicle be purchased?

A.  There is no date for this at the moment, but will take this issue on board.

2.  Peter Exley – what lighting is used in the Respect Bus?

A.  The lights are run from a small generator, but more details on this can be given by Alf Mullen, who is on the Respect Bus this evening.

Police

Acting Inspector Chris Lucan gave the following update:

• Gary Finlay is now in custody, for murder
• Alleygate success – James Elwin Norman is to be sentenced on 24^th March for superglueing alleygate locks
• Bogus official burglary warning – this forum area has been targeted by people posing as water board / council officials to carry out burglaries, so please check credentials carefully.

Crime levels in the area, in comparison to the previous year, are as follows:

• All crime has fallen from 3974 to 3536
• Violent crime has increased from 882 to 884, but we have gained an extra beat
• Robbery has fallen from 43 to 34
• Burglary of dwellings has fallen form 147 to 127
• Theft of motor vehicles has fallen from 122 to 89
• Theft from motor vehicles has fallen from 157 too 104
• Woundings have fallen from 443 to 398
• Common Assault has increased from 182 to 204, but account needs to be taken of addition of an extra beat and more reporting of assaults due to volume of police officers in Birkenhead

Position, in comparison with other police authorities:

• All Crime – First
• Violence – First
• Robbery – Second
• Burglary – First

The Chair thanked Acting Inspector Chris Lucan and the following questions / issues were raised by members of the public:

3.  Where was Gary Finlay picked up?

A.  He was picked up locally, after considerable investigation.

4.  What is happening at Well Lane Police Station?

A.  The roof is being replaced, but the station is still fully operational.

Fire Service

John Davies informed the forum that pages 15/17 of the Community Engagement Co-ordinator’s report contained a comprehensive update on the Service in Wirral, and highlighted the following:

• We are one of the two excellent fire services in the country
• Fires in dwellings - we are achieving / exceeding our targets
• Deliberate small fires – we are working well on reducing these
• Home Fire Safety Checks – the target for Birkenhead is 440 private dwellings per month. If your home has not been checked please take up this offer by calling us on 0800 731 5958

The Chair added that the fire service was working well on Merseyside and thanked John Davies for his update, no questions / issues were raised.

Voluntary and Community Sectors Network

Myrtle Lacey, on behalf of the Network, informed the forum that a network conference will be held in May covering the economic downturn, its affects and what can be done. This will be an important event for voluntary and community organisations.

The structure of the Network will need to be looked at to ensure that it is appropriate, following changes to the Local Area Agreement.

The Network is working with the Local Authority around the strategic asset review, to ensure that the Network are kept fully informed, and to provide a voice for the community, raise their concerns and ensure opportunities are realised.

Wirral University Hospital Trust

Tina Long informed the forum that a briefing note was available at the meeting.

Tunnels at St Catherine’s Hospital – at the last meeting an enquiry was raised about the possibility of opening the tunnels as a tourist attraction prior to the redevelopment. The head of estates at the hospital, Doug Barber, cannot find any records or evidence of the tunnels, but would be happy to meet with anyone who has knowledge of these – please see me at the end of the meeting if you would like to discuss this further.

The PCT has changed its name to NHS Wirral, as the name is more familiar to the public, but is still a legal entity as a PCT. There will be new signage / letterheads to reflect the name change.

NHS Wirral was assessed and received the highest score in three areas:

·  Strategic planning

·  Financial planning

·  Governance

There was pressure on the hospitals and GP practices over the winter period, dealing with people with flu and with the vomiting sickness. The Choose Well campaign was initiated to encourage people to use these services correctly.

The Chair thanked Tina long for her update and the following questions / issues were raised by members of the public:

5.  Two surgeons from Clatterbridge hospital came to the Fir Trees restaurant in their theatre clothing, masks around their necks and their plastic aprons still on. There was no PALS representative available at the hospital so I raised my concern with another PALS representative. Why were two senior members of the hospital dressed like this in a public area, especially with MRSA?

A.  There is no MRSA at Clatterbridge, but Pat Higgins will look into this. Pat added that new scrubs would be put on if the surgeons went back into theatre, but agreed that she would follow this up with PALS and report back on this.

NHS Wirral

Pat Higgins informed the forum that pages 26/27 of the Community Engagement Co-ordinator’s report contained a comprehensive update, and highlighted the following:

Clatterbridge and the Women’s Services Unit are both MRSA infection free

The Trust was awarded best district hospital in England in the Dr Foster Good Hospital Guide last year, which compares services and treatment outcomes at all hospitals across the country.

The Foundation Trust is always seeking public members, so if anyone was interested in becoming a member please let me know. She added that she was pleased to see three members of the Trust who had given up their time to attend this meeting (Myrtle Lacey, Evelyn Hurren and Hugh Langford)

£10m has been allocated to upgrade the women’s and children’s services

A diabetes workshop will be held on 4^th March 2009 to look at issues and allow service users to help shape the services in this area. Furthers details of this were included in the newsletter available at the meeting or could be obtained by telephoning 0800 012 1356

The Chair thanked Pat Higgins for her update and the following questions / issues were raised:

6.  Peter Exley – has there been a definite increase in diabetes?

A. There is a definite link to obesity and there are more instances at a younger age

Philip Barton – For the last three successive Saturdays I have been unable to get access to the EMISS to book appointments and repeat prescriptions from the Whetstone Lane surgery. It looks like the surgery switches the pc’s off at the weekends.

A. Tina Long agreed to look into this and report back.

Resolved that: 

(i)  The partners be thanked for their updates

(ii)  Pat Higgins to follow up issue re: scrubs being worn outside theatre at Clatterbridge and report back on this

(iii)  Tina Long to look into problem of on-line access to Whetstone Lane surgery at the weekends and report back on this