Agenda and minutes

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81 (3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

Councillor Langdale declared a personal interest in Agenda Items 11, Clinical Services Reconfiguration and 12, PCT Performance Report due to her employment with Leeds Primary Care Trust.  (Minute Nos. 11 and 12 refer).

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Atkinson, iqbal, Kirkland, McKenna and Rodes-Clayton.

To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday, 17 June 2008.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2008, be confirmed as a correct record subject to the inclusion of Councillor Iqbal under Members present.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provide Members with a range of information  in relation to the proposed changes to the National Blood Service (NBS) and the implications for Leeds City Council.  Appended to the report were submissions from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), Unite and Leeds Primary Care Trust.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Clive Ronaldson, Director of Patient Services, NHSBT
• Dr Sheila Maclennan, Clinical Director – Products, NHSBT
• Michelle Ashford, Head of Strategy – Processing and Testing – NHSBT
• James Buckley, Head of Strategic Communications, NHSBT

Clive Ronaldson gave a brief presentation on proposed changes at the Leeds Blood Centre.  Main issues highlighted included the following:

• Changes to be made at the Leeds Blood Centre
  • Blood testing to be moved by the end of 2009/10
  • Blood processing to be moved by the middle of 2010/11
  • After 2010, roughly 50 % of processing and testing to be done at Sheffield, the remainder at Manchester and Newcastle.

• Facilities to remain in Leeds

o  Blood Issue Department – to supply local hospitals with blood including the provision of special and short shelf life products

o  The Red Cell Immunohaematology Services

o  Stem cell processing and storage

Members expressed various concerns over the proposals, including the following:

·  That scientific and medical based experience was being lost from Leeds and this would have an economic effect.

·  That this review had being a matter of concern since July 2007 and had only just been presented to the Board.

·  Environmental impact of transporting blood.

In response to concerns, the Board was informed that the NHSBT currently had excess capacity which in turn increased capital expenditure and to maintain all the current sites was too expensive.  These costs were then passed to hospitals in the price of products.  Other costs had also risen due to a fall in donations and rising treatment costs.  In respect of staff, it was reported that a redeployment programme had commenced and everything possible would be done to avoid compulsory redundancies.  Transport costs would remain approximately the same under the new proposals.

The Chair introduced Dr Ian Cameron, Director Public Health and Dr Fiona Day, Specialist Registrar in Public Health to the meeting.

Dr Cameron expressed concern regarding the consultation process involved ion the review of the National Blood Strategy and reported that the PCT had found it difficult to become involved having been informed of the review by Leeds City Council.  Further concern focussed on the possibility of redundancies and the potential loss of skilled staff and how all parties could work together to increase the number of blood donations locally.  Although it was felt that patients would not be compromised by the proposals it was not felt to be in the best interest of emergency incidents.

The Chair introduced Rob Wilson, Leeds Processing Team Manager and Dr Anatole Lubenko, Head of Stem Cell to the meeting.

Rob Wilson addressed the meeting.  He reported that Leeds  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development referred to the Health Proposals Working Group of the Scrutiny Board (health and Adult Care) which had considered the impact of the centralisation of children’s in-patient services at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).  The report sought to update the Board on the engagement and involvement process to date.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Jill Copeland – Executive Director of Strategic Development, Leeds PCT
• Sylvia Craven – Director Planning, Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust.

Jill Copeland and Sylvia Craven gave the Board an overview of the reconfiguration of Clinical Services.  In brief summary, the following issues were highlighted:

• There was a proposed £25 million investment to bring Children’s Services to one site and this had received strong support from the PCT, Clinicians and parents.

• Current facilities were not child friendly and improvements needed to be made for parents whose children were hospitalised.
• Proposals would see children’s services located at LGI and some adults and elderly medicine transfer to St James’ Hospital.
• Pathways to children’s services would remain the same and hospital bed places for children would also remain approximately the same.
• An assessment unit would be created at LGI and complex out-patient cases would also be dealt with there.  Less complex out-patient cases could be dealt with at other hospitals including St James’ and Seacroft.
• Adult, acute and elderly out-patient services would remain the same though there would be some changes to address dignity and safety issues.
• Consultation groups and staff planning groups involved to ensure right service models are developed.
• Links with Education and Social Services – ensure schooling and social work is maintained.
• It was hoped to achieve reconfiguration outcomes between 2009 and February 2010.  Approval was awaited from the PCT and Strategic Health Authority and work was hoped to commence in December 2008/January 2009.

In response to these representations and Members questions, the following issues were discussed.

• Benefits of having all services for children on one site,
• Funding for the proposals – it was reported that a business case was to be presented to the Strategic Health Authority and an application would then be submitted to the Department for Health.  Support had been expressed by the Minister for Health.  Contingency plans had been prepared should borrowing requirements not be met.
• Older people’s out-patient services would still be available at LGI.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the report and information presented be noted.

(ii)  That a further report detailing the Business Case for the Clinical Services Reconfiguration be brought to the Board’s meeting in November 2008.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which asked the Board to consider the Performance Report of the Leeds PCT.  Appended to the report was detailed performance information from the PCT including a full list of their 2008/09 indicators.

The Chair welcomed Beverley Bryant, Director of Performance, Leeds PCT to the meeting.  She informed the Board of priority areas to improve performance and where joint delivery of services was carried out.  Reference was also made to other areas of performance monitoring and targets as found in the Annual Health Check and Local Area Agreements.

RESOLVED –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the Board continues to receive bi-monthly performance reports.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

Further to the Board’s agreement to undertake an inquiry to consider the proposals for and implications of developing GP led Health Centres (polyclinics) in Leeds, the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted terms of reference for the inquiry.  Initial thoughts of the Director of Adult Social Services and the PCT had been sought and had been reflected in the terms of reference.

RESOLVED – That the terms of reference for this inquiry be agreed.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development outlined proposed terms of reference for the scrutiny inquiry into teenage pregnancy.  Attached to the report was a copy of a statement produced by the Scrutiny Board (Health and Adult Social Care).

Members discussed the proposed terms of reference and it was suggested that the inquiry be expanded to take account of sexual health issues for young people.  It was also suggested that young people from the Youth Sexual Healthy Advisory Group (Y-SHAG) be involved in the inquiry.

RESOLVED – That the terms of reference be agreed and amended to take account of discussion at the meeting.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which detailed the Board’s Work programme.  Also included in the report was the report of the Scrutiny Board (Health and Adult Social Care) following the inquiry into the Localisation of Health and Social Care Services and draft terms of reference for the Health Proposals Working Group.

Further issues suggested for the Work Programme included preventative medicine, obesity, exercise and cardio vascular health.

RESOLVED –

(1)  That the Work Programme be noted and agreed.

(2)  That the Localisation of Health and Social Care Services scrutiny inquiry be noted.

(3)  That Councillor Lamb replace Councillor Chapman on the Health Proposals Working Group and the draft terms of reference for the group be agreed.

Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting at 9.30 a.m.).

Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting at 09.30 a.m.).