Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR. View directions

Contact: Steven Courtney (0113) 24 74707  Email: steven.courtney@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

94.

Chair's Opening Remarks

Minutes:

The Chair opened the meeting and welcomed those in attendance. 

 

The Chair reminded all those in attendance of the Council’s Third Party Recording code of practice, copies of which were available at the meeting. 

 

95.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

Minutes:

In accordance with powers under Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local

Government Act 1972, the Chair agreed to accept the following late information:

 

Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Services – Public Consultation (March 2015) – Supplementary Information (minute 102 refers)

 

·  Briefing note from the North East England Paediatric Neuroscience Network.

·  Briefing and timeline on previous scrutiny involvement in relation to Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Services. 

 

The above information was not available at the time of agenda despatch and was subsequently made available on the Council’s website.

 

96.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting. 

 

97.

Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received and recorded on behalf of

 

·  Councillor Sandy Lay (no substitute member attending)

·  Councillor Graham Latty (no substitute member attending)

·  Dr John Beal (HealthWatch Leeds)

 

No substitute members were in attendance at the meeting. 

 

98.

Minutes - 24 February 2015 and 24 March 2015

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meetings held on 24 February and 24 March 2015.

 

(Minutes to follow)

Minutes:

RESOLVED – To defer consideration of the minutes to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Board. 

 

99.

Chairs Update Report - April 2015 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

To consider an update from the Chair of the Scrutiny Board on any specific areas of activity since the Scrutiny board meeting in March 2015

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report that provided an outline of the Chair’s activity since the Board’s meetings in March 2015. 

 

The Chair provided a verbal update at the meeting and invited members of the Scrutiny Board to raise any specific matters for further discussion. 

 

No specific issues were raised, however Members thanked the Chair for the update and agreed to maintain a continued overview of the issues dealt with outside the formal Board meetings.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  To note the report and update provided at the meeting.

(b)  To maintain a continued overview of the issues dealt with outside the formal Board meetings.

 

100.

Statement from the Adult Social Care Working Group - the future provision of external home care services pdf icon PDF 95 KB

To receive and consider a draft statement from the Adult Social Care Working Group in relation to the future provision of external home care services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report introducing the draft statement from the Adult Social Care Working Group on the Future Provision of External Home Care Services. 

 

The Chair introduced the draft statement and invited comments from members of the Scrutiny Board.  The Principal Scrutiny Adviser verbally reported comments received from HealthWatch Leeds.

 

Members of the Scrutiny Board welcomed the comments from HealthWatch Leeds outlined at the meeting and endorsed the statement provided.

 

RESOLVED – To agree and endorse the draft statement from the Adult Social Care Working Group on the Future Provision of External Home Care Services. 

 

101.

Specialised Services - Policy and Specification Consultation (March 2015) pdf icon PDF 114 KB

To consider a report introducing NHS England’s consultation on proposed changes to a number of specialised services policy areas and service specifications

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report introducing details of NHS England’s 30-day consultation (launched on 24 March 2015) in relation to proposed changes/ additions to a number of specific specialised commissioning policy, service specifications and commissioning products.

 

The following representatives were in attendance:

 

·  Moira Dumma (Commissioning Operations Director (Yorkshire & the Humber)) – NHS England (North)

·  Anthony Prudhoe (Programme of Care Senior manager (Women and Children) – NHS England

·  Dave Berridge (Medical Director (Operations & International Partnerships) / Consultant Vascular Surgeon) – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

A representative from the NHS England’s Communications Team was also in attendance. 

 

NHS England’s Commissioning Operations Director (Yorkshire & the Humber) introduced the item and outlined the details of the consultation underway. 

 

NHS England provided an outline of its processes for engaging and communicating with key stakeholders in relation to the proposed changes. 

 

The representative from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed the Trust supported the majority of the proposed policy changes but outlined some of the challenges facing the Trust in ‘up-scaling’ services in some areas – in particular critical care. 

 

The Scrutiny Board considered the information provided and discussed a number of issues raised at the meeting, including:

 

·  Limitations in NHS England’s approach to involving and engaging a wide range of stakeholders in relation to specialised services – including local authority health scrutiny bodies.

·  Concern regarding NHS England’s reliance on a web-based approach to public consultation.

·  The lack of any clear ‘impact assessments’ to help facilitate wider public participation in the consultation process.

·  Significant concern regarding the length of the consultation period (i.e. 1 month).

 

On conclusion of the item, the Chair thanked those present for their attendance and contribution to the discussion. 

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  To note the information presented at the meeting.

(b)  That the Chair formally raise the concerns highlighted by the Scrutiny Board with NHS England.

 

102.

Children's Epilepsy Surgery Services - Public Consultation (March 2015 pdf icon PDF 97 KB

To consider a report introducing NHS England’s consultation on proposed changes to Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report introducing details of NHS England’s 3-month consultation (launched on 24 March 2015) in relation to proposed changes to Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Services.

 

The following representatives were in attendance:

 

·  Moira Dumma (Commissioning Operations Director (Yorkshire & the Humber)) – NHS England (North)

·  Anthony Prudhoe (Programme of Care Senior Manager (Women and Children) – NHS England

·  Yvette Oade (Chief Medical Officer) – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

·  Helen Brown (Network Manager) – The North East England Paediatric Neuroscience Network (NEPNN)

·  Lisa Cutsey (Lead Nurse) – The North East England Paediatric Neuroscience Network (NEPNN)

 

A representative from the NHS England’s Communications Team was also in attendance. 

 

NHS England’s Programme of Care Senior Manager (Women and Children) addressed the Scrutiny Board and outlined NHS England’s proposals on proposed changes to the specification for Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Services.  A number of issues were raised including:

 

·  Proposals included all children’s epilepsy  surgery being undertaken in one of the currently designated Children’s Epilepsy  Surgery Services (CESS) centres.

·  The proposals would impact on children 0-18 years.

·  It was proposed to extend the list of procedures undertaken by the CESS centres.

·  The number of procedures likely to be involved was in the region of 320-350 per annum.

·  There were patient safety issues that needed to be considered.

 

It was also confirmed that an impact assessment was being undertaken during the public consultation.

 

Representatives from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the North East England Paediatric Neuroscience Network also addressed the Scrutiny Board, with a number of specific point highlighted, including:

 

·  The North East England Paediatric Neuroscience Network had been formed since the original designation of CESS centres – but was the ony network not to include a designated CESS centre.

·  The designation of CESS centres had not led to an increase in surgical interventions, as originally planned.

·  Concerns regarding the potential distances children and their families may be expected to travel.

·  The annual number of investigations was in the order of 3-4 times greater than the number of surgical interventions – therefore the number of children and families affected was likely to be greater. 

·  Risks that current expertise in the network would be lost to CESS centres.

 

The Chair of the Scrutiny Board made reference to the previous involvement of the Scrutiny Board in relation to Children’s Epilepsy Surgery over a number of years.

 

The Scrutiny Board considered the information provided and discussed a number of issues raised at the meeting, including:

 

·  Limitations in NHS England’s approach to involving and engaging a wide range of stakeholders in relation to specialised services – including local authority health scrutiny bodies.

·  Concern regarding NHS England’s reliance on a web-based approach to public consultation.

·  The lack of any ‘impact assessment’ to help facilitate wider public participation in the consultation process.

·  Concern that previously reported anxieties around the designation of CESS centres appeared to be becoming reality – despite previous assurances provided to the Scrutiny Board.

·  The potential impact on children and families across the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

103.

Even Better Lives Lived - Leeds Local Account of Adult Social Care 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 119 KB

To consider a report introducing the Leeds Local Account of Adult Social Care for 2014/15 and to specifically consider the identified areas for improvement

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report introducing Leeds’ Local Account of Adult Social Care for 2014/15 and specifically the identified areas for improvement reported to the Executive Board in February 2015.  The Local Account was subsequently referred to the Scrutiny Board for consideration. 

 

The following representative was in attendance:

 

·  Stuart Cameron-Strickland (Head of Policy Performance and Improvement, Adult Social Care) – Leeds City Council

 

The Head of Policy Performance and Improvement introduced the item, including the identified areas for improvement.

 

The Scrutiny Board considered and discussed the information provided.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  To note the information presented at the meeting.

(b)  To consider performance and progress on a quarterly basis – including benchmarking data from other areas (where available).

(c)  To include approaches to addressing social isolation through actions agreed by Community Committee and operation of integrated health and social care teams as potential work areas for the municipal year 2015/16.

 

104.

Work Schedule - April 2015 pdf icon PDF 121 KB

To consider the work schedule and prioritise any unscheduled items for consideration during the new municipal year (2015/16)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report setting out the progress and ongoing development of the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the current municipal year.

 

Members noted and discussed the recent reference from the Licensing Committee regarding Legal Highs, along with issues raised around Air Quality.  Members agreed both matters should be considered as potential areas of inquiry in the new municipal year. 

 

The Principal Scrutiny Adviser gave a brief introduction to the report and set out the unscheduled items that had been identified during the current year. 

 

Members also discussed the annual Quality Accounts that provider Trusts are required to produce.  It was noted that Trusts are required to provide the Scrutiny Board the opportunity to comment on the draft publication.  Due to the timing of production and the Board’s capacity to make a meaningful contribution, members agreed the Board would not make any formal comments on any draft Quality Accounts for 2014/2015.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  To note the report and information provided and discussed at the meeting.

(b)  The Principal Scrutiny Adviser, in consultation with the Chair, prioritises any unscheduled items for consideration during the municipal year 2015/16. 

(c)  That the Scrutiny Board would not make any formal comments on any draft Quality Accounts for 2014/2015.

 

105.

Date and Time of the Next Meeting

To be confirmed

Minutes:

Thursday, 14 May 2015 at 10:00am (with a pre-meeting for members of the Scrutiny Board from 9:30am).

 

The Chair thanked all those in attendance for their contribution to the Scrutiny Board’s discussion and closed the meeting. 

 

 

(The meeting concluded at 12:35pm)