Agenda and minutes

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillors M Gant and M Oates.

The Minutes of the previous Health and wellbeing Scrutiny committee held on 24th August 2017 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor J Faulkner and seconded by Councillor C Cooke)

There were no Declarations of Interest

The committee welcomed Gavin Boyle – Chief Executive Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Duncan Bedford – Chief Operating Officer Burton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to the meeting.

A short presentation around the collaboration of Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was given and concluded with a summary of the Five Pledges:-

•          We will retain a vibrant district general hospital in Burton including our A&E.

•          We will sustain and develop existing specialised services in Derby.

•          We will introduce services in our community hospitals at Lichfield and Tamworth that recognise the changing needs of the two populations.

•          We will retain patient choice.

•          We will only make changes that will improve services and there are no plans to privatise them or make wholesale staff redundancies.

And a question and answer session.

The following questions were raised:-

Councillor J Faulkner

·         When talking about the repatriation of the Staffordshire £1 from Birmingham hospitals how do you see this affecting service?

The emphasis remains on patient choice; however the benefits of a closer collaboration or partnership would include access to many specialist areas that are currently available to patients within the Derby area.  For example the quality of renal care within Derby enables 40% of patients to receive home dialysis unlike other areas that are operating at only 10% of home dialysis.  

·         The Sir Robert Peel Hospital is on an extensive area of land and whilst there are ideas of what to build to expand what happens if this is not the case?  Projection shows a large increase in the elderly within the Tamworth area so a residential home is a positive step but would require an integration of both social and health care needs.

Currently no decisions have been reached, however it is identified that there is a need to decide what will happen on the site.  The offer of a care home could be appropriate with the diminishing number of homes.  Partnership of both levels of care social and health would be considered when deciding how to move forward, along with the correct consultation.  

·         As part of the collaboration there is surely an objective to save funds with the economies of scale, when the process is completed will there be less to spend?

Currently both Trust are operating with a deficit, which is projected to be approximately £43million accumulated if they were to stay separate, this is projected to reduce to around £20million deficit with the merger.

However, staffing remains a principal aim and it is believed that the merger will enable recruitment of high quality staff to be attained.  Within the support services duplication of services would cease, but this will be achieved through natural turnover and workforce change and has been taken into account within the plan.

Councillor A James

·         At initial presentation it appeared that this collaboration was a takeover by Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, how has this feeling changed to one of collaboration?

Firstly seek reassurance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

There were no issues identified on the Forward Plan.

There was nothing to update at the current time.

County Councillor A Little advised on the Staffordshire Health Economy and the appointment of Marcus Wameer to be the central contact for all six Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups.

1^st February 2018 – Dementia Friendly Update

Clarification will be sought from the newly appointed Chief Operating Officer in respect of this item as it previous fell under the Chief Executive.

Usage of Outdoor Gym Update

There is no way to measure the usage of the gyms and therefore it was proposed by the Chair to remove the item from the work plan.

(Proposed Councillor A James and seconded by Councillor S Goodall.  All members in favour.)

New items:

9^th January 2018

Report from the Children and Families Safeguarding Officer

22^nd March 2018

Update presentation from Burton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust